What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft clipped power lines, crashed in open field. 1 serious injury. (.19) on July 30, 1999, at 1130 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65 airplane, N42378, was substantially damaged when it impacted power lines and the ground near Sanger, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot, owner and sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the decatur municipal airport, decatur, Texas. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane had just undergone its annual inspection. The pilot was returning the airplane from the airport where the inspection was performed to his own personal grass strip. While flying over fields approximately 7 miles west of Sanger, the airplane impacted power lines. The airplane then impacted the ground approximately 50 yards from the power lines, flipped over onto its back and came to rest inverted. Inspection of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed damage to the wings, fuselage, engine firewall, landing gear, and propeller. (-23) on July 30, 1999, at approx. 11:30 a.m. CDT, a Piper PA-J3-C65, N42378, owned by privacy data omitted impacted the ground after hitting power lines during cruise flight. Visual meteorological flight conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The a/c received substantial damage, and the pilot sustained minor injuries. The pilot holds an airline transport pilot certificate.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CLIPPED POWER LINES, CRASHED IN OPEN FIELD. 1 SERIOUS INJURY. (.19) ON JULY 30, 1999, AT 1130 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C-65 AIRPLANE, N42378, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED POWER LINES AND THE GROUND NEAR SANGER, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, OWNER AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE DECATUR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, DECATUR, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST UNDERGONE ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOT WAS RETURNING THE AIRPLANE FROM THE AIRPORT WHERE THE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED TO HIS OWN PERSONAL GRASS STRIP. WHILE FLYING OVER FIELDS APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES WEST OF SANGER, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED POWER LINES. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM THE POWER LINES, FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, ENGINE FIREWALL, LANDING GEAR, AND PROPELLER. (-23) ON JULY 30, 1999, AT APPROX. 11:30 A.M. CDT, A PIPER PA-J3-C65, N42378, OWNED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER HITTING POWER LINES DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT HOLDS AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.