CHI98LA306

The pilot of the aerial application flight said he was following a curved piece of land while spraying. He said the right wing collided with a 10-inch pole and the airplane cartwheeled and collided with trees, ending up in an inverted position. He said he removed himself from the airplane and noticed it was on fire. He said he called the fire department. However, by the time the fire department arrived the airplane was totally consumed by the post-impact fire.

On August 8, 1998, at 1110 central daylight time (cdt), a Rockwell Thrush S2R, N5524X, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a collision with a power transmission pole, barbed wire fence, trees and post-impact fire while maneuvering for an aerial application swath run. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Kindred, North Dakota, at 1100 cdt.

According to the pilot's written statement, "...there was a curve around the trees I was trying to get. Going northeast [I] hit a fence pole (10-inches [in] diameter) with the right wing in a slightly low attitude." He said the collision with the pole pulled his right wing backward and into the ground. The airplane "...continued tumbling and went upside down in the trees." The pilot said he got out of the airplane, observed a fire near the firewall and called the fire department. He said the "...airplane burnt up before the fire department got there."