What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 18, 2008 at approximately 1250 CDT, commercial pilot privacy data omitted departed a private dirt strip located one mile east and one half mile south of intersection ranch road (rr) 284 and county road (cr) c. the aircraft was N57740, a PA-36-285. The purpose of the flight was to spray defoliant over a cotton field under title 14 CFR part 137. The field was located southwest of cr k and rr 3030 approximately 1 mile west of Texas hwy 207 or three miles southwest of Silverton, Texas. The pilot flew into high tension power lines along rr 3030 which caused the vertical stabilizer and rudder to separate from the aircraft. At 1406 CDT, witnesses reported hearing a crash and saw dirt and smoke in a nearby field located approximately 1500 feet east of rr 3030 and 300 feet south of cr k. the rudder was found 100 feet east of the power line. The vertical stabilizer could not be found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 18, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 1250 CDT, COMMERCIAL PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED A PRIVATE DIRT STRIP LOCATED ONE MILE EAST AND ONE HALF MILE SOUTH OF INTERSECTION RANCH ROAD (RR) 284 AND COUNTY ROAD (CR) C. THE AIRCRAFT WAS N57740, A PA-36-285. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO SPRAY DEFOLIANT OVER A COTTON FIELD UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 137. THE FIELD WAS LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF CR K AND RR 3030 APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF TEXAS HWY 207 OR THREE MILES SOUTHWEST OF SILVERTON, TEXAS. THE PILOT FLEW INTO HIGH TENSION POWER LINES ALONG RR 3030 WHICH CAUSED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AT 1406 CDT, WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A CRASH AND SAW DIRT AND SMOKE IN A NEARBY FIELD LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET EAST OF RR 3030 AND 300 FEET SOUTH OF CR K. THE RUDDER WAS FOUND 100 FEET EAST OF THE POWER LINE. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER COULD NOT BE FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.