On 19 May 2018, an AIR TRACTOR INC AT 402 A operated by ARENA PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT INC was involved in an aviation accident near Nicolaus, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a power transmission wire. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During an aerial application flight, the pilot encountered turbulence while flying under a sagging power transmission wire, causing the tail to strike the wire and damage the vertical stabilizer and rudder.
Incident Overview
A pilot conducting an aerial application flight reported an incident involving a power transmission wire. According to the pilot, before the event, he observed a power transmission line with no obstructions underneath. He then turned around to enter the spray field under the wire, where he noticed one wire sagging lower than the others. While flying under the power transmission wire, the aircraft encountered turbulence. In response, the pilot decided to lower the nose to prevent being pushed into the wire. However, the tail rose and struck the power transmission wire.
Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Environmental Conditions
The pilot reported that the wind was calm at the time of the incident.