Agricultural Biplane Strikes Unmarked Pole During Aerial Application (N48613)

Incident Overview

An agricultural biplane conducting an aerial application flight collided with an unmarked wooden pole. The pilot, a commercial pilot with 9,500 hours of flight experience, had been contracted to spray an empty cattle feedlot to eradicate weeds. During the final application pass, while attempting to clean up a dirt stockpile, the pilot failed to see a wooden pole equipped with a light fixture located approximately 50 to 100 feet beyond the stockpile. The underside of the right lower wing made contact with the light fixture on the pole. The pilot reported that the fuel system was not compromised, and he was able to fly the aircraft to his home-base airport, situated approximately 8 miles west of the accident site. The operator confirmed that the pole was masked by a lack of visual contrast.

Aircraft Damage

An examination of the right lower wing revealed structural damage to the front wing spar. No other damage was reported. The aircraft's fuel system remained intact, allowing the pilot to return to base without further incident.