Primary finding
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to see and avoid power lines along his route of flight.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot collided with some power lines during an aerial application flight. The skies were clear and the visibility was 10 miles. There were no mechanical problems reported.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 25, 1995, at 1700 hours Pacific daylight time, the pilot of a Rockwell International S-R, N5035X, collided with some power lines during an aerial application near Tulare, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was doing business as Pacific Crop Dusters under 14 CFR Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time with clear skies and a visibility of 10 miles. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot received fatal injuries. There were no reported mechanical difficulties. -