Updated at 7:55 a.m. by Jeff Raasch
ZWINGLE - The crash landing of a crop duster Wednesday afternoon was caused when the plane hit a power line and utility pole, authorities said.
The pilot, Austin D. Niederhauser, 22, of Bedford, crashed a few miles south of Zwingle in northern Jackson County, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies were called to the area when the crash was reported just before 5 p.m.
Niederhauser suffered a minor injury but refused medical treatment at the scene, Deputy Russ Long said.
According to a report on the accident, Niederhauser struck the power line with the tail of the single-engine “Air Tractor 502″ near 17751 Bellevue-Cascade Rd. The plane continued southwest for another mile before it hit the ground.
The plane, owned by Klinkenborg Aerial Spraying and Seeding, of Parkersburg, was a total loss. Damage to the power lines was still being assessed, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources were continuing to investigate.
Initial post:
The Jackson County Sheriff confirms a plane has crashed near Zwingle. It happened near Highway 61 and the Bellevue-Cascade Road.
