Piper PA-25-260 N6802L

Summary

On 2 August 2012 at about 14:30 local time, a Piper PA-25-260 registered N6802L, operated by Louis C Christie, was involved in an accident near Alexander, New York, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 August 2012 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Alexander, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.9269, -78.1994

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-260

Registration

N6802L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Louis C Christie

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Batavia → Batavia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA495

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude during aerial application, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, the airplane was too close to the wires to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to both wing spars. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.