Cessna A188B N5850G accident near Middleton, Tennessee

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines during a low-level aerial application operation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was applying chemicals to a soybean field when the airplane struck power lines about 20 ft above the ground. The outboard half of the right wing was severed from the impact with the wires, and the airplane crashed north of the power lines. Data from a handheld GPS recovered at the accident site revealed that the airplane was in level flight, at low altitude, and on a northerly heading when it impacted the wires. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preexisting anomaly or malfunction. The propeller blades exhibited signatures consistent with power at the time of impact, and several tree limbs were found along the debris field with smooth, 45-degree cuts. Toxicology testing on the pilot revealed that he was taking medications for hypertension and edema. The pilot had not reported these conditions to the Federal Aviation Administration; however, the autopsy report revealed no evidence of a heart attack or any other incapacitating event.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14LA409 for the full record.