Accident Summary
On March 29, 2016, at approximately 1730 central daylight time, an Air Tractor Inc AT-402, registration N4555E, struck a wire or power line and impacted terrain during an aerial application flight over a field near Beyersville, Texas. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight was operated by Ranspot Flying Service under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. It was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight had originated from the operator's private airstrip near Burlington, Texas, at about 1600.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the accident flight was the second and last aerial application of the day. Before spraying, the pilot circled the final field four times to look for obstructions. He observed powerline poles on the east and west sides of the field but did not see an older, unmarked powerline pole located in the middle of the field. The pilot described the day as gray and hazy, conditions that he believed made the older powerline pole difficult to see. The pilot then sprayed the field in a north-south direction. During the fourth spray pass, the airplane struck the older powerline pole with its right wing, entered a right spiral descent, and impacted the ground in a level attitude. The pilot applied full left rudder in an attempt to stop the spin and achieve a level impact. The pilot opined that, given the haze and his unfamiliarity with the field, an additional one or two more circles of the field might have led to his identifying the older powerline pole.
Aircraft and Operator Information
The aircraft was an Air Tractor Inc AT-402, bearing US registration N4555E. It was being operated by Ranspot Flying Service for aerial application activities. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 137 and did not file a flight plan.