East Grand Forks, MN, USA
N1540S
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502
The pilot reported that, while maneuvering to apply chemical to a field at low altitude, the top of the vertical stabilizer struck a set of power lines. The pilot reported that “the rudder was hammed and [he] had no rudder control.” The pilot made a forced landing in a wheat field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane before the collision with the power lines that would have precluded normal operations.
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during a low-level application pass.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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