19970428012129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer G-164A · Hatch, NM · April 28, 1997

Date: April 28, 1997 · 08:45 local
Place: Hatch, NM
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: WBKG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7696
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA167
Reported as: Scwzer G164A
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985AN1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,000 total6,100 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N7696Registration cancelled May 9, 2013 · Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164AS/N 990 · Built 1972 Airframe modelGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Facing sun struck unseen wires during a swath run. Was told of wires prior to takeoff. Crashed in ditch minus wing. (-23) aircraft hit power lines during aerial spraying operations. After hitting power lines aircraft hit pavement (n.m. hwy 185) (MP33) and skid into ditch. Aircraft substantially to destroyed (damage). Pilot sustained critical injuries, fractured facial bones, clavical and one rib; bruised liver and spleen. Pilot is stable in memorial hospital, las cruces, NM.

As the FAA filed it

FACING SUN STRUCK UNSEEN WIRES DURING A SWATH RUN. WAS TOLD OF WIRES PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. CRASHED IN DITCH MINUS WING. (-23) AIRCRAFT HIT POWER LINES DURING AERIAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS. AFTER HITTING POWER LINES AIRCRAFT HIT PAVEMENT (N.M. HWY 185) (MP33) AND SKID INTO DITCH. AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIALLY TO DESTROYED (DAMAGE). PILOT SUSTAINED CRITICAL INJURIES, FRACTURED FACIAL BONES, CLAVICAL AND ONE RIB; BRUISED LIVER AND SPLEEN. PILOT IS STABLE IN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, LAS CRUCES, NM.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA167Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHatch, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wires. A factor was the sunglare.Apr 28, 1997 · Substantial damage