Pzl Mielec M-18A N4305D accident near Jennings, Louisiana

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with guy wires during an aerial application flight.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting aerial application activities to the southeast of the airport. After the pilot finished spraying a field with a radio tower located in the northwest corner, the airplane struck the tower's guy wires. Although the tower was marked, the guy wires were not nor were they required to be marked. The tower was also depicted on the relevant aeronautical sectional chart. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the reported weather conditions were scattered clouds at 7,000 feet with the sun setting and visibility greater than 10 miles. It is unknown the extent that the clouds may have obscured the guy wires. The setting sun should have been behind the pilot during his pass and therefore not a factor. Based on the available evidence, it is likely the pilot lost track of the tower's location relative to his and did not notice the guy wires in time to avoid a collision.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13LA163 for the full record.