What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck a power line on takeoff, Weslaco, TX (.4) the airplane landed on the previous afternoon on the first overnight stop of the ferry flight to south america. The airplane was topped off for the next day's scheduled flight to tegucigalpa, honduras. A witness observed a similar airplane depart two minutes ahead of the accident airplane. She noticed that the heavily loaded airplane broke ground fairly quick and established a good rate of climb after takeoff. The same witness observed the accident airplane takeoff and initiate a climb. The witness stated that she immediately noted a marked decrease in performance in the second airplane. The witness reported that the airplane failed to gain altitude after a rather long takeoff roll. The private pilot reported that the airplane landed hard in a rough and uneven field. Both main landing gear were torn off at the initial point of ground impact. The airplane came to rest in the upright position. The fuel on board was found to be free of contaminants. The pilot told the FAA inspector at the site that he suspected that either the turbocharger failed, or the propeller was not in low pitch/high RPM position. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. (-23) Mr. Adolfo osmar gedda, holder of argentina pilot license no 45.467, departed mid vally airport, Weslaco Texas, at 8:00 local time, on July 5, 1998, in Cessna N3963J. The flight was being conducted in visual flight rules conditions. After take off, the aircraft was unable to maintain enough power from the engine, to sustain flight. The aircraft received substantial damage, but there were no injuries to the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE ON TAKEOFF, WESLACO, TX (.4) THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON ON THE FIRST OVERNIGHT STOP OF THE FERRY FLIGHT TO SOUTH AMERICA. THE AIRPLANE WAS TOPPED OFF FOR THE NEXT DAY'S SCHEDULED FLIGHT TO TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS. A WITNESS OBSERVED A SIMILAR AIRPLANE DEPART TWO MINUTES AHEAD OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. SHE NOTICED THAT THE HEAVILY LOADED AIRPLANE BROKE GROUND FAIRLY QUICK AND ESTABLISHED A GOOD RATE OF CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE SAME WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TAKEOFF AND INITIATE A CLIMB. THE WITNESS STATED THAT SHE IMMEDIATELY NOTED A MARKED DECREASE IN PERFORMANCE IN THE SECOND AIRPLANE. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO GAIN ALTITUDE AFTER A RATHER LONG TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD IN A ROUGH AND UNEVEN FIELD. BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE TORN OFF AT THE INITIAL POINT OF GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE FUEL ON BOARD WAS FOUND TO BE FREE OF CONTAMINANTS. THE PILOT TOLD THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE SITE THAT HE SUSPECTED THAT EITHER THE TURBOCHARGER FAILED, OR THE PROPELLER WAS NOT IN LOW PITCH/HIGH RPM POSITION. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. (-23) MR. ADOLFO OSMAR GEDDA, HOLDER OF ARGENTINA PILOT LICENSE NO 45.467, DEPARTED MID VALLY AIRPORT, WESLACO TEXAS, AT 8:00 LOCAL TIME, ON JULY 5, 1998, IN CESSNA N3963J. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN VISUAL FLIGHT RULES CONDITIONS. AFTER TAKE OFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ENOUGH POWER FROM THE ENGINE, TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.