No fatalities

21 Jul 2016: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G 164A — Hunninghale Aerial Spraying — Topeka, KS

Topeka, KS, United States

On 21 Jul 2016, a GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G 164A operated by Hunninghale Aerial Spraying was involved in an aviation accident near Topeka, KS. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a wire during an agricultural flight. 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 pilot conducting an agricultural spray operation struck a wire during the ninth pass, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot recovered and landed safely.

Incident Overview

While performing an agricultural spray operation, a pilot encountered a wire near the edge of a field during the ninth spray pass. According to the pilot's account, he failed to maintain adequate clearance above the wire. Upon noticing the wire, he initiated an evasive climb but was unable to avoid contact.

Wire Strike and Recovery

The airplane struck the wire, and the pilot regained control after the impact. He subsequently executed a landing without further incident. Substantial damage was sustained to the left wing as a result of the wire strike.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported that the incident occurred because he did not maintain sufficient clearance from the wire. He stated that his evasive maneuver was unsuccessful in preventing the collision.

Contributing factors

Awareness of conditionPilotAltitude — Not attained/maintained