On 29 Jul 2014, an AIR TRACTOR INC AT 502B B was involved in an aviation accident near Minden, NE. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate survey of the aerial application field which resulted in a collision with a windmill. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During an aerial application pass, an airplane struck a windmill at the edge of a field, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical issues and stated he had not seen the windmill during a pre-flight survey.
Incident
During a pass of an aerial application flight, the airplane collided with a windmill located at the edge of the field. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft's left wing.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot stated that he did not observe the windmill during his survey of the field prior to beginning the application.
Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing as a result of the collision with the windmill.