20040605010229A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Scwzer G-164B · Midvale, ID · June 5, 2004

Date: June 5, 2004 · 08:15 local
Place: Midvale, ID
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: W5IG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8440K
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA04LA099
Reported as: Scwzer G164B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 18,000 total13,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N8440KRegistration cancelled Nov 20, 2014 · Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164BS/N 694B · Built 1982 Airframe modelGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 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.

(-23) The pilot was spraying alfalfa flying east and west in rolling terrain, while flying under high voltage powerlines/towers. On the last pass witnesses observed the aircraft fly into the two lowest wires. As a result, the pilot lost control of the aircraft and impacted the ground in a nose low, almost vertical attitude. The aircraft was destroyed from impact and a post crash fire. The pilot was seriously injured in the crash.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING ALFALFA FLYING EAST AND WEST IN ROLLING TERRAIN, WHILE FLYING UNDER HIGH VOLTAGE POWERLINES/TOWERS. ON THE LAST PASS WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLY INTO THE TWO LOWEST WIRES. AS A RESULT, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, ALMOST VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED FROM IMPACT AND A POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THE CRASH.

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 SEA04LA099Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMidvale, IDThe failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the high tension powerline. A factor was the powerline.Jun 5, 2004 · Destroyed

Other reports on N8440K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20020706015759AWeiser, ID(-23) The pilot departed Weiser airport at 8:45 to begin spraying operations on the Oregon side of the snake river. After one pass the engine began to operate rough. The pilot turned east crossed back into Idaho and was headed toward Weiser switching between…Jul 6, 2002 · No damage