Accident Details
A single-engine agricultural airplane collided with a set of power transmission lines while conducting an aerial application flight. The pilot, a commercial pilot with 25,223 hours of flight experience, was maneuvering underneath one set of power lines and over a second set when the aircraft struck the first set. The impact separated the vertical stabilizer and rudder from the airframe.
Pilot Actions
Following the collision, the pilot attempted to maintain control of the airplane using power adjustments, elevator inputs, and aileron inputs. Despite these efforts, control could not be regained. The pilot subsequently lost control during a forced landing attempt in an adjacent cotton field. The airplane sustained structural damage, but the pilot was not injured.
Weather Conditions
Weather reported at the airport included calm winds, visibility of 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 30 degrees Celsius, dew point 21 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.86 inches of Mercury.