What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck a power line, Weiner, AR (.4)while maneuvering in the vicinity of a local car racing drag strip, less than 1 mile from the departure runway, the airplane struck an unmarked wire. The pilot maintained control of the airplane, flew direct to an airport, and landed the airplane without further incident. The top 20 percent of the rudder had separated from the airplane and the fabric on the rudder was torn. Local authorities found a ball of wire in the engine cowling. (-23) while operating at a low altitude the pilot struck a powerline severing the upper rudder portion of the tail section. Subsequently the aircraft was landed withour further incident. The private pilot and his passenger did not receive any injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. VMC conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE, WEINER, AR (.4)WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF A LOCAL CAR RACING DRAG STRIP, LESS THAN 1 MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK AN UNMARKED WIRE. THE PILOT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, FLEW DIRECT TO AN AIRPORT, AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE TOP 20 PERCENT OF THE RUDDER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND THE FABRIC ON THE RUDDER WAS TORN. LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOUND A BALL OF WIRE IN THE ENGINE COWLING. (-23) WHILE OPERATING AT A LOW ALTITUDE THE PILOT STRUCK A POWERLINE SEVERING THE UPPER RUDDER PORTION OF THE TAIL SECTION. SUBSEQUENTLY THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED WITHOUR FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.