What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 1610 on October 06, 2002, N2069W a siai-marchetti model L-1019, serial number NC 057, departed the Midland International Airport (maf) airport enroute to san antonio, Texas. As the aircraft departed, the pilot stated that he experienced a sudden engine spool down. He then said, "the aircraft regained power momentarily", so he tried to return to the maf airport. On approach, his altitude was such that he came in contact with the highline wires that control the train signals for the area, located across the business highway 80 at the end of runway 34R at the maf airport. After the contact with the highline, the aircraft lost airspeed and hit the ground with such force that the gear collapsed, causing a back injury to the pilot. The passenger sustained bruises and minor cuts; however, the aircraft sustained major damage in the gearbox area and the propeller departed the aircraft. After the aircraft came to a stop on business highway 80, the engine continued to run at ground idle. The pilot stated he had shut the engine down by turning the fuel shutoff to the off position.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1610 ON OCTOBER 06, 2002, N2069W A SIAI-MARCHETTI MODEL L-1019, SERIAL NUMBER NC 057, DEPARTED THE MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MAF) AIRPORT ENROUTE TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ENGINE SPOOL DOWN. HE THEN SAID, "THE AIRCRAFT REGAINED POWER MOMENTARILY", SO HE TRIED TO RETURN TO THE MAF AIRPORT. ON APPROACH, HIS ALTITUDE WAS SUCH THAT HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE HIGHLINE WIRES THAT CONTROL THE TRAIN SIGNALS FOR THE AREA, LOCATED ACROSS THE BUSINESS HIGHWAY 80 AT THE END OF RUNWAY 34R AT THE MAF AIRPORT. AFTER THE CONTACT WITH THE HIGHLINE, THE AIRCRAFT LOST AIRSPEED AND HIT THE GROUND WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THE GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING A BACK INJURY TO THE PILOT. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISES AND MINOR CUTS; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE IN THE GEARBOX AREA AND THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP ON BUSINESS HIGHWAY 80, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AT GROUND IDLE. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN BY TURNING THE FUEL SHUTOFF TO THE OFF POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.