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. On February 20, 1999, about 1329 mountain standard time, a Piper J-5A,N28123, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14CFR 91 pleasure flight, was substantially damaged after colliding with power lines near Rexburg, Idaho. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private pilot was not injured. There was no fire and no report of an ELT actuating. The flight originated from the Rexburg-Madison County Airport, Rexburg, Idaho, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he struck a set of power lines while flying over a friends house. The pilot then stated that he didn't see the power lines until it was too late to avoid them. After striking the power lines, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in a nearby field, due to extensive damage to the vertical stablizer. The power lines were approximately 35 feet above ground. The pilot reported no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft prior to colliding with the power lines. (-23) privacy data omitted took off from Rexburg, Idaho for ashten, Idaho, while he decided to take an aerial picture of his friend's house. He hit a power line, damaged the vertical fin, and lost rudder control. privacy data omitted Forced landing in an open field 20 feet off the highway, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The right landing gear collapsed and theright wing tip was damaged. The pilot was uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE AND CRASHED. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. ON FEBRUARY 20, 1999, ABOUT 1329 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER J-5A,N28123, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A 14CFR 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER COLLIDING WITH POWER LINES NEAR REXBURG, IDAHO. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTUATING. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE REXBURG-MADISON COUNTY AIRPORT, REXBURG, IDAHO, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STRUCK A SET OF POWER LINES WHILE FLYING OVER A FRIENDS HOUSE. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THE POWER LINES UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID THEM. AFTER STRIKING THE POWER LINES, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD, DUE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABLIZER. THE POWER LINES WERE APPROXIMATELY 35 FEET ABOVE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE POWER LINES. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF FROM REXBURG, IDAHO FOR ASHTEN, IDAHO, WHILE HE DECIDED TO TAKE AN AERIAL PICTURE OF HIS FRIEND'S HOUSE. HE HIT A POWER LINE, DAMAGED THE VERTICAL FIN, AND LOST RUDDER CONTROL. ^PRIVACY DAT^ FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD 20 FEET OFF THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THERIGHT WING TIP WAS DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.