19981124031909A

Acft struck power lines and crashed. (.19)on November 24, 1998, approximately 1100 central standard time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N4908D, was destroyed when it impacted power lines during cruise flight near bacliff, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight which originated from Ellington field near Houston, Texas, at 1044. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and leased to and operated by lentz flying service of Houston, Texas. According to Ellington air traffic control personnel, the pilot requested a southeast departure, and the airplane was cleared for takeoff on runway 17R and given a left turn out of the traffic pattern. The reported weather conditions at Ellington field at 1052 were wind from 130 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet and 1,600 feet, braken clouds at 5,000 feet, temperature 22 degrees c, dewpoint 20 degrees c, and altimeter setting 30.20 inches of mercury. The remarks section of the 1052 weather observation stated that visibi lity to the south was 2 statue miles. During a telephone interview conducted by an NTSB investigator, a witness, who was driving on highway 146, stated that he observed the airplane "come out of the fog and hit a power line and tumble to the ground." According to the witness, he was unable to see the top of the tower supporting the power line due to the fog and low visibility. According to FAA inspectors who responded to the site, the accident occurred approximately 10 nautical miles southeast of Ellington field at the intersection of highway 146 and jasper road. Four power lines, each supported by towers which the inspectors estimated to be 120 to 130 feet tall, paralleled the west side of highway 146. The static wire (top wire) on the power line closest to the highway was cut. Approximately the outboard two-thirds of the airplane's left wing was found on the west side of highway 146 near the base of one of the power line towers. The majority of the airplane came to rest inverted in a ditch on the east side of highway 146 immediately south of jasper road. (.4) while on a local VFR flight, the non-instrument rated pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions, and s ubsequently, the airplane collided with power lines and terrain. At the time of departure, the weather conditions at the airport were visibility 5 miles in mist and ceiling broken at 2,200 feet. About 7 minutes after the airplane's departure, the local controller noted that a fog bank was moving towards the airport from the southeast. About 17 minutes after departure, the airplane collided with 120-foot high power lines approximately 10 miles southeast of the airport. The collision severed the left wing, and the airplane then impacted on a road and slid into a ditch. Witnesses reported that it was 'very foggy' when the accident occurred. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot had 124 hours total flight time, of which 2.3 hours were under simulated instrument conditions. (-23) the non-instrument rated pilot was operating in marginal VFR conditions. The aircraft struck a high tension wire approximately 125 feet AGL withthe left wing. The left wing departed the aircraft fuselage, causing the ai rcraft to impact a paved highway approximately 75 yards away coming to rest in an inverted position 20 feet beyond first point of impact.