Piper PA 25-260 N4793Y

Summary

On 25 May 2015 at about 21:50 local time, a Piper PA 25-260 registered N4793Y, operated by William R. Dittmer, was involved in an accident near Casselton, North Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 May 2015 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Casselton, North Dakota, United States

Coordinates

46.8394, -97.1839

Aircraft

Piper PA 25-260

Registration

N4793Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

William R. Dittmer

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Casselton → Casselton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA090

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to monitor the flight environment for adequate terrain/obstacle clearance, which resulted in the inflight collision with power transmission line wires.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an interview with the Aviation Safety Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot told the inspector that he was heading back to the airport when he became distracted, looked down at the floor and then looked up just in time to see the wire. The airplane struck power transmission line wires at about 73 feet above the ground. The left wing impacted the ground about 290 feet from the power transmission line wires in the direction of travel, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage.    The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.