N49696

On April 19, 1995, at 1400 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N49696, was substantially damaged after impacting a wire and subsequent forced landing near Oakgrove, Arkansas. The flight instructor and his student were not injured. The aircraft was being operated by The School of the Ozarks under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Clark Airport near Point Lookout, Missouri, at 1315 CDT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight and a flight plan was not filed.

During a personal interview, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and on the enclosed Pilot/Operator report, the flight instructor reported that while performing a simulated forced landing, the aircraft struck two power lines. The lines impacted the "exhaust and crimped it off resulting in a loss of power." Neither the flight instructor nor the student pilot reported seeing the wires prior to impact. The flight instructor landed the aircraft in a field; however, due to "wet grass and mud" the airplane slid through a barbed wire fence and impacted a feeder trough. Structural damage occurred to the rudder, stabilizer, and elevator.