# Accident 19980723016999A: Bbavia 7GCBC, Clearwater, MN, July 23, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 1998, 15:07 local time
- Place: Clearwater, MN
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.4104° N, 94.0403° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4104&lon=-94.0403&mi=10
- Aircraft: N21262, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21262) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7GCBC (registry code 21101PK, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcbc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (registry code 42138, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-b2b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7GCBC
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 413 total, 7 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA273) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980723016999A

## Narrative

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

FLYING LOW OVER RIVER. STRUCK WIRES AIRCRAFT FELL INTO RIVER AND SANK. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN LEVEL FLIGHT HEADING SOUTHBOUND AT 75' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED POWER LINES.  THE POWER LINES WERE NOT MARKED AND WERE NOT DEPICTED ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL CHART, WHICH HE HAD CONSULTED PRIOR TO FLIGHT.  HE ADDED THAT THE POLES OF THE POWER LINES WERE OBSCURED BY TREES ALONG THE SHORELINE WHICH MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO BE SEEN IN FLIGHT.  EXAMINATION OF THE TWIN CITES SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART REVEALS THE FOLLOWING CAUTION, 'CAUTION: THIS CHART IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR VFR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF ALL TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH AND POWER TRANSMISSION LINES, TERRAIN OR OBSTACLES WHICH MAY BE ENCOUNTERED BELOW REASONABLE AND SAFE ALTITUDES'.                            (-23) PILOT BROWN DEPARTED A SMALL PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPORT NEAR ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA AT AROUND 1430 CDT.  HE CIRCLED THE TOWN OF ST. CLOUD ONCE AND THEN FLEW SOUTHEAST OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  HE HIT ELECTRIC WIRES THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO HIS PATH OF FLIGHT, THE WIRES BEING ABOUT SIXTY FEET ABOVE THE WATER BUT WITH NO WARNING ORANGE BALLS TO IDENTIFY THE    M. HE HIT THE WIRES, CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP, AND FELL INTO THE RIVER.  BROWN ESCAPED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND SWAM TO SHORE.  PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.  AIRCRAFT DEMOLISHED.

## 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 CHI98LA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA273), Jul 23, 1998: Champion 7GCBC (N21262), Clearwater, MN, destroyed. Probable cause: The inadequate visual lookout by the pilot-in-command. The unmarked transmission wire was a contributing factor.

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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