- Date
- April 28, 1997, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hatch, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7696Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970428012129A
- Case key
- 20202
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 the wires. A factor was the sunglare.
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
The aerial application pilot was making a swath run, which was made 'facing the sun,' when the airplane struck some wires. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a highway, slid approximately 30 feet, and came to rest in a ditch. The pilot's flagman reported that he had warned the pilot of the wires prior to the accident flight.
Factual narrative
On April 28, 1997, at 0845 mountain daylight time, a Grumman Schweizer G-164A, N7696, registered to and operated by By Ag Air Service, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, was substantially damaged after impacting wires while maneuvering near Hatch, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The flight originated from Hatch Municipal Airport about 5 minutes prior to the accident.
Witnesses reported to the FAA inspector that during a swath run, which was made "facing the sun," the airplane struck some wires. Subsequently, the airplane impacted Highway 185, slid approximately 30 feet, and came to rest in a ditch. The pilot's flagman reported that he had warned the pilot of the wires prior to the accident flight.
Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the top wing and engine were separated from the fuselage, and the bottom wing was damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7696
- Reported as
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 990
- Airframe hours
- 8,380
- Engine
- P&W R-985-AN1, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- By Ag Air Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 1997 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- E05
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 6,100 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.