- Date
- July 10, 2010, 08:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Muncie, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N92640WSK PZL Mielec M-18A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 11, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-IND-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100710038559A
- Case key
- 76657
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 power line during an aerial application flight.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was making aerial application runs to two fields that had high tension power lines running between them. The airplane contacted an additional smaller wire that ran from the high tension lines to a substation located one-quarter of a mile away. The smaller wire, which was 73 feet above the ground, was not marked and there were no poles for this wire between high tension lines and the substation. After contacting the wire, the pilot flew the airplane back to the departure airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing due to the wire strike.
Factual narrative
The pilot was making aerial application swath runs to two fields that had high tension power lines running between them. The airplane contacted an additional smaller wire that ran from the high tension lines to a substation located one-quarter of a mile away. The smaller wire, which was 73 feet above the ground, was not marked and there were no poles for this wire between high tension lines and the substation. After contacting the wire, the pilot flew the airplane back to the departure airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing due to the wire strike.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92640
- Reported as
- WSK PZL Mielec M-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1Z025-22
- Engine
- Wsk-Pzl-K PZL ASZ-62IR, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Canam Aviators Inc
- Registered owner
- Canam Aviators Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Marion, IN
- Destination
- Marion, IN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,400 total · 3,150 in this make and model · 3,150 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 92 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- AID, 31 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N92640 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.