What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While applying pesticide to a field the aircraft struck 2 power lines. The PIC did not notice anything abnormal with the aircraft, so he continued spraying until empty then returned to the airport. After shutdown the PIC inspected the aircraft and noticed a nick in the prop, missing vortex generators (vg’s) and a damaged delta wing on the right wing. The PIC continued spray operations before flying approximately 80 miles to his home airport. The following day the PIC continued 137 spray operations for several hours. Two days after the accident the mechanic that maintains the aircraft performed an inspection and found a damaged aileron. After discovering the damage, the mechanic told the PIC that the aircraft was not airworthy and would have to be repaired prior to further flight. Six days after the accident FAA inspectors examined the aircraft finding damage including a 12 inch cut in the bottom side of the right aileron, visible dents and paint cracking in the top of the right aileron, 7 missing vg’s, 4 damaged vg’s, damaged delta wing, multiple dents on leading edges of both wings, bent propeller tip that had been straightened, large nick in propeller blade that had been recently dressed, and signs of electrical arcing on propeller blade. Engine had been disassembled and power section sent out for prop sudden stoppage inspection.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE APPLYING PESTICIDE TO A FIELD THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK 2 POWER LINES. THE PIC DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING ABNORMAL WITH THE AIRCRAFT, SO HE CONTINUED SPRAYING UNTIL EMPTY THEN RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER SHUTDOWN THE PIC INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTICED A NICK IN THE PROP, MISSING VORTEX GENERATORS (VG’S) AND A DAMAGED DELTA WING ON THE RIGHT WING. THE PIC CONTINUED SPRAY OPERATIONS BEFORE FLYING APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE PIC CONTINUED 137 SPRAY OPERATIONS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. TWO DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE MECHANIC THAT MAINTAINS THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED AN INSPECTION AND FOUND A DAMAGED AILERON. AFTER DISCOVERING THE DAMAGE, THE MECHANIC TOLD THE PIC THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED PRIOR TO FURTHER FLIGHT. SIX DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT FAA INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT FINDING DAMAGE INCLUDING A 12 INCH CUT IN THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE RIGHT AILERON, VISIBLE DENTS AND PAINT CRACKING IN THE TOP OF THE RIGHT AILERON, 7 MISSING VG’S, 4 DAMAGED VG’S, DAMAGED DELTA WING, MULTIPLE DENTS ON LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS, BENT PROPELLER TIP THAT HAD BEEN STRAIGHTENED, LARGE NICK IN PROPELLER BLADE THAT HAD BEEN RECENTLY DRESSED, AND SIGNS OF ELECTRICAL ARCING ON PROPELLER BLADE. ENGINE HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED AND POWER SECTION SENT OUT FOR PROP SUDDEN STOPPAGE INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.