Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Muncie, Indiana 47302
Saturday, July 10, 2010 8:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was making aerial application runs to two fields that had high tension power lines running between them. The airplane contacted an additional smaller wire that ran from the high tension lines to a substation located one-quarter of a mile away. The smaller wire, which was 73 feet above the ground, was not marked and there were no poles for this wire between high tension lines and the substation. After contacting the wire, the pilot flew the airplane back to the departure airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing due to the wire strike.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to see and avoid the power line during an aerial application flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 840
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Muncie
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47302
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403409N
Event Location Longitude 0854435W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID AID
Elevation of weather observation facility 919
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28005
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 9 2011 9:12AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92640
NTSB Number CEN10CA406
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WSK PZL MIELEC
Aircraft Model M-18A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1Z025-22
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CANAM AVIATORS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City POND CREEK
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73766-9613
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CANAM AVIATORS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City POND CREEK
Operator State OK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 73766-9613
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Marion
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Marion
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2010 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --