What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 1145 hours local time, Piper aircraft PA-28R-200, N2981R impacted power lines crossing a body of water locally referred to as alleys creek, a section of lake o the pines near Jefferson, Texas. Three occupants of the aircraft received fatal injuries. Witness statements stated that the aircraft was operated at a very low altitude across the lake and "pulled up" to clear a causeway and bridge estimated to be about 25 feet above the water level. The aircraft impacted the powerlines in a right wing down attitude and crashed into the lake 3/10TH of a mile past the bridge and causeway. The powerlines are estimated to be at a height of 50 to 100 feet above the waterline of the lake. One of the cables was severed at the midpoint of the distance across the body of water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 HOURS LOCAL TIME, PIPER AIRCRAFT PA-28R-200, N2981R IMPACTED POWER LINES CROSSING A BODY OF WATER LOCALLY REFERRED TO AS ALLEYS CREEK, A SECTION OF LAKE O THE PINES NEAR JEFFERSON, TEXAS. THREE OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. WITNESS STATEMENTS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE ACROSS THE LAKE AND "PULLED UP" TO CLEAR A CAUSEWAY AND BRIDGE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 25 FEET ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE POWERLINES IN A RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO THE LAKE 3/10TH OF A MILE PAST THE BRIDGE AND CAUSEWAY. THE POWERLINES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE AT A HEIGHT OF 50 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE WATERLINE OF THE LAKE. ONE OF THE CABLES WAS SEVERED AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE DISTANCE ACROSS THE BODY OF WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2981R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.