Probable cause
The pilot's failure to pay attention to the power lines and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the corn field during the aerial application flight.
NTSB analysis
The pilot was making an aerial application pass at the south end of a field when the accident occurred. A 30-foot-tall power line ran north and south through the middle of the field. The pilot stated he was paying attention to the trees along the south end of the field during the pass when he realized that he was approaching the wires. He was unable to climb over the wires so he decided to fly under them. In doing so, the airplane contacted 7-foot-high corn and the airplane was pulled down into the field. Substantial damage resulted to the lower wings and the main landing gear mounting truss.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN10CA402 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 13, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Independence, Iowa
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- N-number
- N8260K
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 137 (agricultural)
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial application
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.