- Date
- July 21, 2016, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Topeka, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7997Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20160721011379A
- Case key
- 93656
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 maintain clearance from a wire during an agricultural flight.
Findings · 3
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
On his ninth spray pass, the pilot stated that he did not maintain adequate clearance above a wire near the edge of the field. He attempted an evasive climb after noticing the wire, but was unsuccessful, and the airplane contacted the wire. Following the wire strike, the pilot was able to recover the airplane and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
On his ninth spray pass, the pilot stated that he did not maintain adequate clearance above a wire near the edge of the field. He attempted an evasive climb after noticing the wire, but was unsuccessful, and the airplane contacted the wire. Following the wire strike, the pilot was able to recover the airplane and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7997
- Reported as
- Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 858
- Built
- 1971
- Airframe hours
- 8,000
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Hunninghake Aerial Spraying LLC, doing business as Hunninghale Aerial Spraying
- Registered owner
- Hunninghake Aerial Spraying LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 23, 2016 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 62K · Seneca, KS
- Destination
- 62K · Seneca, KS
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS
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, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 30, 2016
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 135 in this make and model · 720 as pilot in command · 135 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KTOP, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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 N7997 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.