What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed into IMC VFR. Wing struck power line while flying low. To avoid low clouds. (.4)the airplane initially impacted a guy wire of a 414-foot tower, about 375 feet above ground level. The tower was located along the route of flight, between wichita, Kansas, and the pilot's stated destination of harrison, Arkansas. The non-instrument rated pilot called and obtained a telephone weather briefing for the proposed cross-country flight. The briefer said the existing and forecast weather were IMC with low ceilings and fog along the proposed route. A resident about one-quarter mile from the accident site told authorities he heard the airplane engine, which became silent, followed by a 'big thud.' He estimated the ceiling to be about 200 to 300 feet, at that time. Subsequent examination of the airplane failed to reveal any pre-existing mechanical anomalies.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED INTO IMC VFR. WING STRUCK POWER LINE WHILE FLYING LOW. TO AVOID LOW CLOUDS. (.4)THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY IMPACTED A GUY WIRE OF A 414-FOOT TOWER, ABOUT 375 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE TOWER WAS LOCATED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT, BETWEEN WICHITA, KANSAS, AND THE PILOT'S STATED DESTINATION OF HARRISON, ARKANSAS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT CALLED AND OBTAINED A TELEPHONE WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE PROPOSED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE BRIEFER SAID THE EXISTING AND FORECAST WEATHER WERE IMC WITH LOW CEILINGS AND FOG ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE. A RESIDENT ABOUT ONE-QUARTER MILE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE TOLD AUTHORITIES HE HEARD THE AIRPLANE ENGINE, WHICH BECAME SILENT, FOLLOWED BY A 'BIG THUD.' HE ESTIMATED THE CEILING TO BE ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET, AT THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.