- Date
- May 15, 2019, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lane City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4865Grumman G164
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190515004679A
- Case key
- 99443
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 power lines during low-altitude maneuvering.
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
The pilot reported that, while conducting an agricultural application flight, he misjudged the height of the power wires, and as a result, the airplane's right wing struck the lower wire. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and rolled several times before coming to a stop, and a fire ensued. The airplane was destroyed by postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while conducting an aerial application flight he misjudged the height of the power line wires, and as a result the right wing struck the lower wire. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and rolled several times before coming to a stop and a fire ensued. The airplane was consumed by a postaccident fire and was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4865
- Reported as
- Grumman G164 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1018
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 8,742.7
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Currie Flying Service LLC
- Registered owner
- Currie Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2019
- Departed
- ARM · Wharton, TX
- Destination
- ARM · Wharton, TX
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 29, 2019
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,900 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 2,850 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KARM, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.