# Accident 19971124041209A: Cessna 152, Woodstock, IL, November 24, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 24, 1997, 16:00 local time
- Place: Woodstock, IL
- Airport: Robert Hughes Farm
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3105° N, 88.4292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3105&lon=-88.4292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N49908, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N49908-2000-06-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,936 total, 874 in this make and model, 138 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971124041209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

TAIL STRUCK POWER LINE ON SHORT FINAL LANDING. INDICATES FLEW UNDER WIRES ON FINAL.                                                                  (.4)THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS EN ROUTE TO HARVARD, ILLINOIS, IN THE VICINITY OF AN AIRSTRIP, WHEN THE AIRSTRIP'S OWNER CONTACTED THE PILOT OVER THE RADIO AND INVITED HIM TO LAND. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD OVERFLOWN THE AIRSTRIP ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND KNEW THAT IT WAS LONG ENOUGH FOR HIM TO LAND, BUT HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY OBSTACLES IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRSTRIP. ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT SAW SOME POWERLINES CROSSING THE APPROACH END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT TRIED TO FLY UNDER THEM, BUT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AIRPLANE'S VERTICAL STABILIZER IMPACTED A WIRE. THE AIRPLANE YAWED, PITCHED UP SLIGHTLY, THEN DROPPED TO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.                                                            (-23) ON 11/24/97 AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 CST, CESSNA 152, N49908, FLOWN BY MR. MARK MCCORMICK, STRUCK POWER LINES WITH THE VERTICAL FIN WHILE ON SHORT FINAL TO A PRIVATE LANDING STRIP.  THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP, STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE PILOT'S INJURIES WERE  MINOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA044), Nov 24, 1997: Cessna 152 (N49908), Woodstock, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to see-and-avoid the powerlines on short final. The location of the powerlines was a related factor.

## Other reports on N49908 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19880704037289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880704037289I), Jul 4, 1988: Cessna 152 (N49908), West Jefferson, NC. Called for help after entering clouds. No IFR training and gyro horizon inop. Was radar vectored to VFR airport.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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