What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft struck powerlines and crashed in a field. (.4) the airplane was observed by an eyewitness to be flying at the same altitude as a set of unmarked electric power transmission lines. The eyewitness stated he heard the aircraft contact the lines and then observed the airplane descend and collide with the ground in a nose down attitude. The engine sounds were constant until the collision with the wire. The electric company measured the power lines and stated they were about 30 feet above the ground strung between poles 243 feet apart. A personal associate of the pilot stated that the pilot enjoyed flying low and slow, but added he usually respected the distance requirements regarding aircraft to property separation. Sunset occurred about 20 minutes after the accident.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWERLINES AND CRASHED IN A FIELD. (.4) THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY AN EYEWITNESS TO BE FLYING AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS A SET OF UNMARKED ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION LINES. THE EYEWITNESS STATED HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT CONTACT THE LINES AND THEN OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCEND AND COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ENGINE SOUNDS WERE CONSTANT UNTIL THE COLLISION WITH THE WIRE. THE ELECTRIC COMPANY MEASURED THE POWER LINES AND STATED THEY WERE ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND STRUNG BETWEEN POLES 243 FEET APART. A PERSONAL ASSOCIATE OF THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PILOT ENJOYED FLYING LOW AND SLOW, BUT ADDED HE USUALLY RESPECTED THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING AIRCRAFT TO PROPERTY SEPARATION. SUNSET OCCURRED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.