No fatalities

5 May 2008: Piper PA-25-235 — DARTER, LLOYD R — Mountain Grove, MO

Mountain Grove, MO, United States

On 5 May 2008, a Piper PA-25-235 operated by DARTER, LLOYD R was involved in an aviation accident near Mountain Grove, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power line. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A commercial pilot sustained minor injuries after his airplane struck an unmarked power line, hit two trees, and cartwheeled into terrain while applying liquid fertilizer over a hay meadow.

Accident Overview

A commercial pilot was performing aerial application of liquid fertilizer onto a hay meadow. The accident occurred during the third pass, which was located south of the previous two passes. According to the investigation, the airplane contacted an unmarked power line. The pilot did not observe the power line until the moment of impact, stating, "I was on it." Following the power line contact, the airplane struck two trees and then cartwheeled into terrain.

Pilot and Aircraft Status

The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was engaged in agricultural spraying operations at the time of the accident. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed structural damage: the wings were bent, the fuselage was twisted and buckled, and the engine firewall was buckled. No further details about the pilot or aircraft were provided in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Altitude — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Wire