Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B N6633K accident near Durham, California

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines, which resulted in a wire strike.

NTSB analysis

According to the operator, the pilot was flying near high tension powerline wires during an aerial application flight. During the application of a rice field while flying north, the airplane’s right wing struck one of the powerlines. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground north of the powerline wires and sustained substantial damage to all four wings the empennage and the fuselage. The pilot exited the airplane, called the operator and reported that the accident was caused by pilot error. The Investigator-in-charge made several attempts to contact the pilot in command (PIC) via email and cell phone, but an email reply was not received from the PIC and the voicemail box was full.

The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR24LA282 for the full record.