What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Struck power lines while flying under same during a spray run. (-23) 2081J, piloted by william l. miller crashed into a bean field after striking an electrical power line while applying agricultural chemicals by air. The accident occurred on the david knott property, approximately 4 1/2 miles northwest of walnut grove, MN. Evidence indicates that the aircraft was heading south and flew beneath the east-west power lines located just south of the field that was being sprayed. A portion of the left wing tip leading edge was recovered near the area of the strike mark on the lower power line. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 165 yards further south, and came to rest heading east. The aircraft was damaged substantially. The pilot was seriously injured. Interviewed w. miller, 08/29/96: he stated that he flew under the wires, the aircraft was running & operating normal.
As the FAA filed it
STRUCK POWER LINES WHILE FLYING UNDER SAME DURING A SPRAY RUN. (-23) 2081J, PILOTED BY WILLIAM L. MILLER CRASHED INTO A BEAN FIELD AFTER STRIKING AN ELECTRICAL POWER LINE WHILE APPLYING AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS BY AIR. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE DAVID KNOTT PROPERTY, APPROXIMATELY 4 1/2 MILES NORTHWEST OF WALNUT GROVE, MN. EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING SOUTH AND FLEW BENEATH THE EAST-WEST POWER LINES LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE FIELD THAT WAS BEING SPRAYED. A PORTION OF THE LEFT WING TIP LEADING EDGE WAS RECOVERED NEAR THE AREA OF THE STRIKE MARK ON THE LOWER POWER LINE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 165 YARDS FURTHER SOUTH, AND CAME TO REST HEADING EAST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED SUBSTANTIALLY. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. INTERVIEWED W. MILLER, 08/29/96: HE STATED THAT HE FLEW UNDER THE WIRES, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RUNNING & OPERATING NORMAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.