- Date
- May 4, 1983, 08:10 local (15:10 UTC)
- Place
- Healdsburg, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4709YPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830504017129A
- Case key
- 23696
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Before starting his dusting operation, the plt had observed the grape vineyard & made plans to begin on the following day. He reported observing the power lines that were suspended across the vineyard. However, he did not notice the anchor wire that was located beneath the power lines. The wire extended aprx 600 ft from a tower on a hill to a pole in the vineyard. During a swath run under the power lines, the acft struck the anchor wire, then crashed & burned. The plt believed that the fire began when sulfer dust spilled onto the engine exhaust manifold.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4709Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-4441
- Airframe hours
- 4,271
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Mr. & Mrs. Boots
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 10, 1982
- Departed
- 031 · Healdsburg, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.