What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 24, 2002, N9454J was involved in an accident while performing a direction reversal in the vicinity of a large high voltage transmittal line. At the point wher an altitude climb should have been initiated to ensure barrier clearance, the pilot in command delayed the entry point. With the delay and a lack of aircraft performance, the line barrier could not be conquered, a rapid descent was implemented to try and fly under the line barrier. While traveling down and under the line barrier, the right main landing gear impacted a yard light pole. Simultaneously, the rudder assemble impacted the first strand of the power line, severing the top portion of the rudder assembly. The aircraft continued flying with little or no performance degradation, dispensing of agriculture fluid continued. Returning to the re-load location, a low altitude fly by, checking for damage, was carried out. Damage to the right main landing gear was discovered where upon, the aircraft was directed to a location where emergency equipment was present. The right main landing gear collapsed upon landing otherwise uneventful. The rudder damage was discovered at the end of the flight. VFR conditions prevailed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 24, 2002, N9454J WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE PERFORMING A DIRECTION REVERSAL IN THE VICINITY OF A LARGE HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMITTAL LINE. AT THE POINT WHER AN ALTITUDE CLIMB SHOULD HAVE BEEN INITIATED TO ENSURE BARRIER CLEARANCE, THE PILOT IN COMMAND DELAYED THE ENTRY POINT. WITH THE DELAY AND A LACK OF AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE, THE LINE BARRIER COULD NOT BE CONQUERED, A RAPID DESCENT WAS IMPLEMENTED TO TRY AND FLY UNDER THE LINE BARRIER. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN AND UNDER THE LINE BARRIER, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A YARD LIGHT POLE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE RUDDER ASSEMBLE IMPACTED THE FIRST STRAND OF THE POWER LINE, SEVERING THE TOP PORTION OF THE RUDDER ASSEMBLY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING WITH LITTLE OR NO PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION, DISPENSING OF AGRICULTURE FLUID CONTINUED. RETURNING TO THE RE-LOAD LOCATION, A LOW ALTITUDE FLY BY, CHECKING FOR DAMAGE, WAS CARRIED OUT. DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS DISCOVERED WHERE UPON, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIRECTED TO A LOCATION WHERE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WAS PRESENT. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON LANDING OTHERWISE UNEVENTFUL. THE RUDDER DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.