What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft vertical stabilizer struck overhead wire during spray run. Vertical stabilizer and rudder were found in field approximately 100-200 feet from wire, aircraft pitched up over a 2nd row of wires at the end of the field and impacted in another field about 1/4 mile from initial wire strike. The aircraft was equipped with a tail wire delector system, the wire of which was found broken near the point where it attached to the vertical stabilizer and still attached to the fuselage by its other end. Pilot received fatal injuries in accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK OVERHEAD WIRE DURING SPRAY RUN. VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE FOUND IN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 100-200 FEET FROM WIRE, AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP OVER A 2ND ROW OF WIRES AT THE END OF THE FIELD AND IMPACTED IN ANOTHER FIELD ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM INITIAL WIRE STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TAIL WIRE DELECTOR SYSTEM, THE WIRE OF WHICH WAS FOUND BROKEN NEAR THE POINT WHERE IT ATTACHED TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE BY ITS OTHER END. PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES IN ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.