# Accident 19970529015809A: Scwzer G164, Illinois City, IL, May 29, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 29, 1997, 18:58 local time
- Place: Illinois City, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: J8PG
- Location: 41.3996° N, 90.9008° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3996&lon=-90.9008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N474Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N474Y-1998-10-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman G-164 (registry code 3952702, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-164) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCWZER G164
- Reported engine: PWA R985*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 580 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA150) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970529015809A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) WHILE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURE SPRAYING OPERATIONS, SUBJECT AIRCRAFT STRUCK TOP STATIC WIRE OF POWER TRANSMISSION WIRES. THE FORCE OF THE WIRE STRIKE INVERTED THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RIGHT THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TERRAIN IN A WINGS LEVEL, UPRIGHT ATTITUDE AND THEN FLIPPED OVER.  PILOT WAS TRAPPED IN AIRCRAFT DUE TO STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE OF THE COCKPIT. WITNESSES EXTRICATED THE PILOT USING SIMPLE FARM TOOLS.                                                      (.4) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATION WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT A STATIC WIRE AT THE TOP OF A POWER LINE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO THE POWER LINE DURING THE SPRAYING OPERATION. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT BEGAN A PULL UP AND LEFT TURN, WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE STATIC WIRE. AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE EXAMINATIONS DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCY. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE FAILED TO KEEP THE POWER LINE FOREMOST IN HIS MIND, AND THAT HE WAS LOOKING PAST THE WIRES TO THE FAR END OF THE PASTURE THAT HE WAS SPRAYING AND DID NOT SEE THE WIRE THAT THE AIRPLANE HIT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA150), May 29, 1997: Grumman G164 (N474Y), Illinois City, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to see and maintain clearance from a static wire. The proximity of the wire was a related factor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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