THROCKMORTON, TX, USA
N4549Z
Air Tractor AT-502
The pilot reported that he made an aerial application swath run in a north to south direction. During pull-up from the swath run, the airplane's main landing gear (which were not equipped with wire cutters) caught on an east to west oriented unmarked electrical transmission wire. The pilot further stated that 'the east end of the wire became entangled in the airplane's rudder horn, forcing the airplane into an uncontrolled left turn.' The engine power and the momentum of the airplane were sufficient to 'snap three telephone poles.' Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. A postimpact fire destroyed the airplane.
On October 18, 1996, approximately 1830 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N4549Z, was destroyed after a wire strike while maneuvering near Throckmorton, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant in the airplane, was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by New Nueces Ag Service Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight which originated from Olney, Texas, approximately 59 minutes before the accident. A flight plan was not filed for the local flight. The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that he was flying an application swath in a north to south direction. On the pull-up, the airplane's main landing gear (which were not equipped with wire cutters) caught on an east to west oriented unmarked electrical transmission wire. The pilot further stated that "the east end of the wire became entangled in the airplane's rudder horn, forcing the airplane into an uncontrolled left turn." The engine power and the momentum of the airplane were sufficient to "snap three telephone poles." Subsequently the airplane impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted. A post impact fire destroyed the aircraft.
failure of the pilot to maintain clearance of a transmission wire during pullup from a swath run. The proximity of the transmission wire was a related factor. The installation of wire cutter equipment on the landing gear might have prevented or reduced the level of damage or injury.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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