Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate flight preparation and navigation during a training flight resulting in collision with low wires.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was practicing an engine out emergency maneuver with a student when the airplane collided with low wires. The wires came into contact with the airplane's windscreen, resulting in a large portion of the screen fractured. After the accident, the pilot stated that the power lines were barely visible even from the ground, and was surprised they had not been struck before by a crop duster or during another training flight. He said that balls or markers would have helped make the line more visible. He also offered that he could have scouted the area more thoroughly prior to the flight.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot was practicing an engine out emergency maneuver with a student pilot when the airplane collided with low wires. The wires came into contact with the airplane's windscreen, resulting in a large portion of the screen fractured. After the accident, the pilot stated that the power lines were barely visible even from the ground, and was surprised they had not been struck before by a crop duster or during another training flight. He said that balls or markers would have helped make the line more visible. He also offered that he could have scouted the area more thoroughly prior to the flight.