- Date
- April 16, 1994, 08:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place
- Muskogee, OK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4647YPiper PA-25-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940416007939A
- Case key
- 19033
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 with the power line. Factors were a chemical spray contaminated windscreen, the resultant limitation to visibility, and sun glare.
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
During an agriculture spray run the chemical partially covered the windscreen and combined with sun glare, obscured the pilot's vision. The aircraft flew into a power line and hooked the tail wheel on it. The aircraft impacted the ground nose gear first.
Factual narrative
On April 16, 1994, at 0820 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25- 260, N4647Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Muskogee, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight.
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot stated that the chemical he was spraying partially covered the windshield and combined with windshield glare obscured his view. He further stated that he struck a power line. During the wire strike the tail wheel hooked on the wire and the aircraft impacted the ground nose gear first.
The aircraft was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4647Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-4367
- Airframe hours
- 5,474
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-G1A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Cox, Eual W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1994 · 100 hours before
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 13,400 total · 6,500 in this make and model · 13,400 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUL, 32 nm away
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 N4647Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.