No fatalities

16 Sep 2015: SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP G 164B — MCCLUNG AERIAL SPRAYING — Paxton, NE

Paxton, NE, United States

On 16 Sep 2015, a SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP G 164B operated by MCCLUNG AERIAL SPRAYING was involved in an aviation accident near Paxton, NE. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from a power line during low altitude flight operations, which resulted in an impact with the power line, and subsequent impact with the ground. 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

During an agricultural application flight, an airplane's left wing struck a power line, causing it to descend and impact the ground. The pilot exited the aircraft, and a postcrash fire occurred. The pilot attributed the incident to a dust devil.

Accident Sequence

The pilot was engaged in an agricultural application flight, performing spray passes beneath an overhead power line. On the final pass, the left wing of the airplane collided with the power line. Following the impact, the airplane lost altitude and struck the ground. The pilot evacuated the airplane, and a fire started after the crash.

Pilot's Explanation

The pilot offered an explanation for the wing contacting the power line, asserting that a dust devil lifted the left wing, causing it to strike the line. The pilot added that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions affecting the airframe or engine.

Environmental Conditions

At the time of the occurrence, a weather station in the vicinity reported conditions including a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds from 120 degrees true at 4 knots.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDamaged/degraded

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment