- Date
- June 20, 2012, 08:33 local (15:33 UTC)
- Place
- Okanogan, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6861KGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120620011499A
- Case key
- 84041
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 while maneuvering.
Findings · 2
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 establishing the second boundary along the eastern edge of a field where he was conducting an aerial application, the airplane struck power lines. Following the collision with the power lines, the airplane turned to the left and impacted the ground in a flat attitude, which resulted in structural damage to all four wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were four sets of power lines near the field; however, the upper right wing blocked his view of the power lines that the airplane struck. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while establishing the second boundary along the eastern edge of a field where he was conducting an aerial application, the airplane struck power lines. Following the collision with the power lines, the airplane turned to the left and impacted terrain in a flat attitude, which resulted in structural damage to all four wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were four sets of power lines near the field; however, the upper right wing blocked his view from the power lines the airplane struck. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6861K
- Reported as
- Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 506B
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Smith & Murdock LLC
- Registered owner
- Smith & Murdock LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Okanogan, WA
- Destination
- Okanogan, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 10,941 total · 273 in this make and model · 231 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- OMK, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 1, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 179 KB 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.