What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 4, 2003 at 05:58 local time, an aircraft (N33865) struck a 16 kv, three strand set of power lines, 6 nautical miles southwest of the Polson, Montana airport. The 51 year old, male pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received fatal injuries from the ensuing crash, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Ground level elevation at the crash site was 3226' and the power lines that the aircraft struck were at a height of 40' AGL. The flight originated at the hot springs, Montana airport, approximately 15 minutes prior to the crash, the pilot had not filed a flight plan and the intended destination is unknown. Visibility at the Polson airport shortly after the accident was reported as 3-5 miles in smoke. During the crash sequence, the aircraft brushed the first two strands of the power lines, causing the landing gear to become entangled in the third strand. The aircraft then severed the third line causing the aircraft to impact the ground a short distance from the initial point of impact with the lines. The engine on the aircraft was developing normal power at the time of the crash.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2003 AT 05:58 LOCAL TIME, AN AIRCRAFT (N33865) STRUCK A 16 KV, THREE STRAND SET OF POWER LINES, 6 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE POLSON, MONTANA AIRPORT. THE 51 YEAR OLD, MALE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES FROM THE ENSUING CRASH, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. GROUND LEVEL ELEVATION AT THE CRASH SITE WAS 3226' AND THE POWER LINES THAT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK WERE AT A HEIGHT OF 40' AGL. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE HOT SPRINGS, MONTANA AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE PILOT HAD NOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN AND THE INTENDED DESTINATION IS UNKNOWN. VISIBILITY AT THE POLSON AIRPORT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS 3-5 MILES IN SMOKE. DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE, THE AIRCRAFT BRUSHED THE FIRST TWO STRANDS OF THE POWER LINES, CAUSING THE LANDING GEAR TO BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE THIRD STRAND. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SEVERED THE THIRD LINE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GROUND A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT WITH THE LINES. THE ENGINE ON THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEVELOPING NORMAL POWER AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.