What happened
During a night mosquito control spraying operation, a Cessna (type not specified) collided with a 520-foot television tower. The impact occurred approximately 20 feet below the top of the structure. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing the aircraft and observing its marker lights; however, they noted that no lights were visible on the tower at the time of the incident.
At 0330, an automobile accident had caused a loss of electrical power to the area, which included the electrical supply to the television tower.
The investigation
The post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical problems. No issues were reported by the pilot regarding the aircraft's performance prior to the collision.
Findings
Investigation determined that the pilot did not obtain a weather or preflight briefing before the flight. Such a briefing would have provided necessary NOTAM information, which indicated that the power and lights on the tower had failed.