What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While conducting aerial application operations, the pilot privacy data omitted misjudged the distance between two sets of power lines. The pilot privacy data omitted struck the power lines with the vertical stabilizer of air tractor, N502DB, cutting off the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The aircraft was substantially damaged in the crash, but the pilot privacy data omitted was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO SETS OF POWER LINES. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK THE POWER LINES WITH THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF AIR TRACTOR, N502DB, CUTTING OFF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN THE CRASH, BUT THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.