The pilot, who was not the holder of an Agricultural Pilot
rating, was about to spray a cotton field on his own property. He
was attempting a spraying run from the north into the south which
required passage over two separate power line arrays to the north
of the paddock. The two arrays converged to the east but were
separated by 220 feet at the points at which they crossed the
flight path, the one closer to the paddock being 26 feet high and
the other 18 feet high. The pilot did not make an examination for
possible obstructions before spraying, as he was familiar with the
area. He believed that the wires were only 40 feet apart on the
line of the first spraying run and he approached from the north
with adequate clearance over the lower wires then immediately
commenced a descent to spraying level. The landing gear assemblies
contacted with southern-most power line and the aircraft nosed down
and decelerated sharply. Impact with the ground, with virtually no
forward velocity, was made on the nose and undercarriage, which
collapsed. The aircraft came to rest upright, 150 feet beyond the
point of contact with the power line and there was no fire.
