Wirestrike involving a Air Tractor AT-301, VH-FEI, 4 km north of Ayr Aerodrome, Queensland, on 9 April 1997

This was the first occasion on which the pilot had sprayed the sugar cane paddock. A briefing and an area map were obtained from the property owner. The pilot conducted a power line inspection and found three lines, all that had been brought to his attention. During the first spray run he noticed sparks at the propeller as an unseen set of three wires was cut. He returned to the take-off point and found that only the propeller had been damaged. The wires struck had not been seen at all. The relevant poles were hidden in trees on each side of the paddock.