Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering.
NTSB analysis
The pilot stated that the purpose of the agricultural flight was to spray a swath of field bordered by power lines. After making a pass, the pilot's attention was focused on a pole and he struck nearby power lines, which wrapped around the propeller. The pilot noticed a sudden loss in power and thought he could make it back to the airport. The engine then lost total power and the pilot initiated a forced landing in a field, resulting in a hard landing. The engine detached from the airplane and both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR11CA261 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 15, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Pullman, Washington
- Nearest airport
- Staley Airport
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- N-number
- N8376K
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 137 (agricultural)
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial application
Other records under this N-number
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.