NTSB Factual Report

The single-engine agricultural airplane collided with a set of power transmission lines while performing an aerial application flight. The 25,223-hour commercial pilot reported that while maneuvering underneath one set of power lines and over a second set of power lines, the airplane collided with the first set of power lines, separating the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. The pilot attempted to control the airplane with power, elevator and ailerons but was not successful. The pilot lost control of the airplane during the forced landing in an adjacent cotton field. The airplane sustain structural damage and the pilot was not injured. Weather at the airport was reported as winds calm, visibility 10 statute miles with clear skies, temperature 30 degrees Celsius, dew point 21 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 29.86 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power transmission line(s). A contributing factor was the low altitude selected by the pilot.