ATL98LA004

During pull-up from a swath run, the airplane collided with a tree. The pilot stated that before the pull-up, he was checking the drift of the spray for the next swath run. He said that he was aware of the trees and had planned to pull up from under a set of utility lines before the trees. After the collision, the airplane began to roll to the left. The pilot managed to keep the airplane upright by reducing power and using opposite aileron. Subsequently, the airplane collided with the ground and burned. No preimpact mechanical problem with the airplane was reported by the pilot.

On October 20, 1997, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235C, N9567P, collided with the tops of trees during a swath run pull up three miles west of the Early County Airport in Blakely, Georgia. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot was not injured, but the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed Blakely, Georgia, at 1120.

The pilot had completed a swath run and was in the process of climbing out from the field when the collision with the tree occurred. The pilot also stated that prior to the collision , he looking back checking the drift of the spray for the next swath run. He said that he was aware of the trees and had planned the climbout under a set of utility lines before the trees. After the collision the airplane became difficult to control, the pilot realized that he had to land. The airplane collided with the ground and burned.

No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.