Wirestrike involving a Grumman G-164B, VH-HIT, 15 km west of Kerang, Victoria, on 3 October 1996

The pilot reported that he commenced take-off into the east with a three knot tailwind. The strip was approximately one mile long with a powerline at the eastern end which could be flown under if necessary. The aircraft was loaded with 600 lts of water and 80 lts of fuel. Halfway through the take-off the pilot decided to go under the powerline.

After lift off the pilot allowed the aircraft to climb slightly instead of keeping it low enough to pass under the powerline. He said that despite lowering the nose, the aircraft got too high to safely pass under the wire. The top wing of the aircraft hit the powerline resulting in the aircraft becoming uncontrollable. It stalled and hit the ground in a steep nose down attitude, banked to the left.