- Date
- July 23, 1995, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Allendale, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7601ZPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 19, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950723019749A
- Case key
- 3602
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see and avoid the guy wire. Factors in the accident were the weather and the pilot's unfamiliarity with the terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had abandoned the spraying operation due to large thunderstorms and gusty winds, and was proceeding to Allendale with a companion airplane. He was unfamiliar with the terrain. He lost sight of the other airplane. Because of a thunderstorm ahead of him, and gusts from a storm behind him, he elected to land on a dirt road. During the landing a wing struck a guy wire for an electrical pole.
Factual narrative
On July 23, 1995, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N7601Z, collided with a guy wire, during landing, near Allendale, South Carolina. The airplane was operated by Sky Ag Aviation under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, and the airplane was substantially damaged. A flight plan was not filed for the aerial application flight. Origination of the flight was Sycamore, South Carolina, abut 1700, on the same day.
The pilot reported that while spraying crops, large thunderstorms and gusty winds forced him to abandon the spraying operation. He had been operating in the local area for about four days and was unfamiliar with the terrain. He lost sight of a companion airplane, as they were proceeding to Allendale for landing. Because of a thunderstorm ahead of him, and gusts from a storm behind him, he elected to land on a dirt, county road. During the landing, one wing was substantially damaged when it contacted a guy wire for an electrical pole.
The report of the accident was provided to the FAA on July 27, 1995. The operater stated that the damage was initially reported to him as minor. When he examined the airplane and discovered substantial damage, he provided that information to the Flight Standards District Office.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7601Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-3693
- Airframe hours
- 5,160
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Ag Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 6, 1995 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Sycamore, SC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,613 total · 192 in this make and model · 1,570 as pilot in command · 330 in the last 90 days · 117 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NBC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.