What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On April 22, 2001, about 1540 hours pacific daylight time, a holt christian eagle ii, N32MJ, was destroyed when it collided with wires while maneuvering near white water, California. The commercial pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The personal local flight departed Palm Springs, California, about 1520. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Witnesses observed the airplane flying at a low level for several minutes. The engine sound remained loud and steady. The airplane banked left and the right wing contacted power lines. Wing pieces separated and the airplane spiraled to the ground. (-23) Mr. Joseph a. lukins departed Palm Springs airport approximately 1520, on a personal local flight. A eyewitness at the scene stated that the aircraft was proceeding southbound in whitewater canyon at a low altitude, banking back and forth when the aircraft hit a high-tension electric wire with the right wing. The right wing separated from the aircraft and the aircraft spiraled toward the ground hitting a flatbed truck parked in a rock qua rry. Mr. Lukins suffered fatal injuries upon impact.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON APRIL 22, 2001, ABOUT 1540 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOLT CHRISTIAN EAGLE II, N32MJ, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH WIRES WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR WHITE WATER, CALIFORNIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1520. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING AT A LOW LEVEL FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE ENGINE SOUND REMAINED LOUD AND STEADY. THE AIRPLANE BANKED LEFT AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED POWER LINES. WING PIECES SEPARATED AND THE AIRPLANE SPIRALED TO THE GROUND. (-23) MR. JOSEPH A. LUKINS DEPARTED PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 1520, ON A PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT. A EYEWITNESS AT THE SCENE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND IN WHITEWATER CANYON AT A LOW ALTITUDE, BANKING BACK AND FORTH WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HIT A HIGH-TENSION ELECTRIC WIRE WITH THE RIGHT WING. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT SPIRALED TOWARD THE GROUND HITTING A FLATBED TRUCK PARKED IN A ROCK QUA RRY. MR. LUKINS SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES UPON IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.