Cessna A188 N4912Q accident near Pineview, Georgia

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

The pilot had been performing aerial application over the local area for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and had two more residences to spray before returning to the departure airport. Witnesses and GPS data revealed that the airplane was travelling northeast, about 50 ft above ground level, when it collided with powerlines. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The powerlines were depicted on the area sectional aeronautical chart, and solar calculations revealed that sun glare was not a factor because the sun was approximately 23° above the horizon and 50° to the right of the airplane’s track at the time of the accident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while operating at low altitude during the aerial application flight, which resulted in collision with powerlines.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21FA184 for the full record.