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GAA15CA266

2015-09-16 · Paxton, Nebraska, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N3628Z

Make / Model
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT CORP G-164B
Year of manufacture
1984 · 31 years old at event
Engine
P&W R1340 SERIES (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19840217
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A41742

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from a power line during low altitude flight operations, which resulted in an impact with the power line, and subsequent impact with the ground.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during an agricultural application flight, he was making spray passes under a power line. During the last pass, the left wing of the airplane struck the power line, and the airplane descended and impacted the ground. The pilot exited the airplane, and a postcrash fire ensued. The pilot reported that he believed he encountered a dust devil which caused the left wing to rise and contact the power line. About the time of the accident, a nearby weather reporting station was reporting, temperature 90 degrees Fahrenheit and wind from 120 degrees true at 4 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that during an agricultural application flight, he was making spray passes under a power line. During the last pass, the left wing of the airplane struck the power line, and the airplane descended and impacted the ground. The pilot exited the airplane, and a postcrash fire ensued. The pilot reported that he believed he encountered a dust devil which caused the left wing to rise and contact the power line. About the time of the accident, a nearby weather reporting station was reporting, temperature 90 degrees Fahrenheit and wind from 120 degrees true at 4 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft structures-(general)-(general)-Damaged/degraded - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Wire-Effect on equipment
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Dust devil/whirlwind-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA15CA266.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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