Summary
On October 04, 2010, a Aeronca 11AC (N85888) was involved in an accident near Taylorsville, KY. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an unmarked power line during the final approach to land.
According to the pilot, he was on the final leg in the traffic pattern intending to land on runway 14, a 1,500-foot runway. As he approached the runway, he noted to himself that he had “the [unmarked] power lines made,” approximately 25 feet below the airplane, and glanced back towards the runway. Then, the windshield shattered as the airplane struck another smaller, unmarked power line located 30 feet above the power lines that the pilot had in sight. After the airplane began a steep descent, the pilot was able to partially recover the attitude prior to impacting the ground at a 45-degree angle. During the accident sequence, the forward section of the fuselage, the firewall, and both wings incurred substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA007. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N85888.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an unmarked power line during the final approach to land.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was on the final leg in the traffic pattern intending to land on runway 14, a 1,500-foot runway. As he approached the runway, he noted to himself that he had “the [unmarked] power lines made,” approximately 25 feet below the airplane, and glanced back towards the runway. Then, the windshield shattered as the airplane struck another smaller, unmarked power line located 30 feet above the power lines that the pilot had in sight. After the airplane began a steep descent, the pilot was able to partially recover the attitude prior to impacting the ground at a 45-degree angle. During the accident sequence, the forward section of the fuselage, the firewall, and both wings incurred substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 18 miles to the northwest of the accident location were calm.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA007