Air Tractor Inc AT-401 N60057 accident near Hamlet, Nebraska

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during low altitude maneuvering.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was flying the agricultural airplane at a low altitude during an aerial application flight when the airplane’s vertical stabilizer and rudder struck power lines. The airplane’s vertical stabilizer, rudder, and elevator were substantially damaged during the collision with the power lines. The pilot made an immediate landing in a nearby field due to the damaged flight controls and the airplane ground looped during the landing rollout. The pilot reported that before the airplane collided with the power lines there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA191 for the full record.