What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 12, 2002, at 2340 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N8458U, registered to air taxi inc., and operated by the pilot, collided with tree and power lines while maneuvering for an emergency landing near Smithfield, north carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and one passengers received minor injuries; one passenger received serious injuries. The flight departed Smithfield, north carolina, at an undetermined time. Circumstances of the flight and accident are not known. However, examination of the airplane and the accident site failed to reveal the present of fuel. The pilot reported the lost of engine power prior to the collision. (-23) investigation of the crash scene revealed aircraft had struck lower of two power lines during an attempted emergency landing at night into an open field. The power line caused the aircraft to roll 180 degrees and impact the ground inverted, coming to rest in this position. Aircraft was intact with the exception of a few pieces of the left wing tip sheared off by the power line. Fuel tanks and fuel lines did not contain any noticeable quantity of fuel. No fuel was spilled onto the ground from either tank. Pilot stated he thought he had sufficient fuel. Pilot also stated that engine failed within several miles of airport at the completion of a 3.7 hour cross country flight. He stated that he employed emergency checklist items but engine failed to restart. Serious injury to one occupant, minor injuries to other two. (.4) the airplane collided with a tree and power lines while maneuvering for an emergency landing after a loss of engine power. When the pilot and passengers attempted to ditch the airplane, it spiraled to the ground and landed inverted.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 12, 2002, AT 2340 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172, N8458U, REGISTERED TO AIR TAXI INC., AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH TREE AND POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES; ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FLIGHT AND ACCIDENT ARE NOT KNOWN. HOWEVER, EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE ACCIDENT SITE FAILED TO REVEAL THE PRESENT OF FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THE LOST OF ENGINE POWER PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. (-23) INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH SCENE REVEALED AIRCRAFT HAD STRUCK LOWER OF TWO POWER LINES DURING AN ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE POWER LINE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL 180 DEGREES AND IMPACT THE GROUND INVERTED, COMING TO REST IN THIS POSITION. AIRCRAFT WAS INTACT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW PIECES OF THE LEFT WING TIP SHEARED OFF BY THE POWER LINE. FUEL TANKS AND FUEL LINES DID NOT CONTAIN ANY NOTICEABLE QUANTITY OF FUEL. NO FUEL WAS SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND FROM EITHER TANK. PILOT STATED HE THOUGHT HE HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL. PILOT ALSO STATED THAT ENGINE FAILED WITHIN SEVERAL MILES OF AIRPORT AT THE COMPLETION OF A 3.7 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE EMPLOYED EMERGENCY CHECKLIST ITEMS BUT ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. SERIOUS INJURY TO ONE OCCUPANT, MINOR INJURIES TO OTHER TWO. (.4) THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHEN THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS ATTEMPTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE, IT SPIRALED TO THE GROUND AND LANDED INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.