What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck a power line and crashed. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19)on January 27, 1999, at 1519 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18-150, N7188Z, sustained substantial damage on inpact with wires and the terrain, about eight miles southwest of Hyannis, Nebraska. The private pilot reported minor injuries. The pilot stated that he was distracted and did not see the wires prior to impact. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. Departure location and time are unknown. (.4) the pilot was checking the pastures when he saw a person fishing. He entered a turn to watch the person during which time the airplane contacted a transmission line. The airplane then descended to impact with the terrain. The pilot reported that he was aware of the line, but had forgotten about it.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE AND CRASHED. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19)ON JANUARY 27, 1999, AT 1519 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-18-150, N7188Z, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON INPACT WITH WIRES AND THE TERRAIN, ABOUT EIGHT MILES SOUTHWEST OF HYANNIS, NEBRASKA. THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED AND DID NOT SEE THE WIRES PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. DEPARTURE LOCATION AND TIME ARE UNKNOWN. (.4) THE PILOT WAS CHECKING THE PASTURES WHEN HE SAW A PERSON FISHING. HE ENTERED A TURN TO WATCH THE PERSON DURING WHICH TIME THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A TRANSMISSION LINE. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE LINE, BUT HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.