What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 23, 2003, at 1800 pacific standard time, a Cessna 310, N5202A, collided with power lines near Palmdale, California. Following the wire collision, the pilot diverted to and made a precautionary landing at william j. fox airfield (wjf), lancaster, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 for the personal cross-country flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Day visual meteorological conditions existed during the flight and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at henderson airport (hnd), henderson, Nevada, about 1700, and was scheduled to terminate at whiteman airport (whp), los angeles, California. The pilot stated in a telephone interview that during the flight he descended below a cloud layer near Palmdale, California. He was in visual contact with the ground, when the airplane impacted power lines. After the collision he made a precautionary landing at wjf. The pilot said he had flown from hnd to whp many times in the past and that the power lines he impacted were unmarked. He also stated that the sun had set about 20 minutes prior to the collision. This accident was upgraded from an incident on February 24, 2003, after post accident examination by the federal aviation administration inspector.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 23, 2003, AT 1800 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 310, N5202A, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES NEAR PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA. FOLLOWING THE WIRE COLLISION, THE PILOT DIVERTED TO AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT WILLIAM J. FOX AIRFIELD (WJF), LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED DURING THE FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT HENDERSON AIRPORT (HND), HENDERSON, NEVADA, ABOUT 1700, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE AT WHITEMAN AIRPORT (WHP), LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT STATED IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE DESCENDED BELOW A CLOUD LAYER NEAR PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA. HE WAS IN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED POWER LINES. AFTER THE COLLISION HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT WJF. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD FLOWN FROM HND TO WHP MANY TIMES IN THE PAST AND THAT THE POWER LINES HE IMPACTED WERE UNMARKED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE SUN HAD SET ABOUT 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THIS ACCIDENT WAS UPGRADED FROM AN INCIDENT ON FEBRUARY 24, 2003, AFTER POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.