Champion 7GCBC N90990 accident near Wiley, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain proper clearance from the sprinkler guy-wire, which resulted in the airplane’s collision with the wire during a visual approach to landing.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot was conducting a day visual approach to landing on his airstrip; he stated that everything seemed normal on the descent. However, he noted that the agricultural irrigation pivot sprinkler had stopped with the sprinkler's last pipe, or "overhang pipe," over the runway. The pilot thought that he was high enough to clear the sprinkler overhang pipe and had "no idea" that the airplane was not going to clear the guy-wires that supported the sprinkler overhang pipe, and the right landing gear tire struck a guy-wire that was about 10 ft higher than the sprinkler overhang pipe. The airplane's nose subsequently impacted terrain, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN18LA316 for the full record.