What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) (Prelim) at 16:52 hrs PST on December 14, 2005, a Cessna 177RG, N8040G, impacted the ground approx. 1,400' west of a pg&e transmission line after striking the westward most static cable of that line. The aircraft was destroyed by post impact fire. The pilot and sole occupant sustained fatal injuries. The accident was witnessed by a CFI, privacy data omitted. privacy data omitted And a student were on an instructional flight from oakland, CA to sacramento, CA. privacy data omitted Stated that as they started their VFR descent to sacramento at approx. 3,500', his student pointed out traffic below them traveling east to west. privacy data omitted Said the traffic was traveling straight and level at a low altitude and a high rate of speed for what he originally thought was a Cessna 172. privacy data omitted Said he looked toward their flight path when a flash and explosion retuned his attention to where the lower traffic had been. privacy data omitted Said he called norcal approach and turned to circle what he identified as an aircraft on fire on the ground. privacy data omitted Circled the site while talking to ATC until a helicopter arrived. privacy data omitted Said the time from their id of traffic and the explosion was approx. 5 sec. Amendments to follow.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) (PRELIM) AT 16:52 HRS PST ON DECEMBER 14, 2005, A CESSNA 177RG, N8040G, IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROX. 1,400' WEST OF A PG&E TRANSMISSION LINE AFTER STRIKING THE WESTWARD MOST STATIC CABLE OF THAT LINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE ACCIDENT WAS WITNESSED BY A CFI, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND A STUDENT WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FROM OAKLAND, CA TO SACRAMENTO, CA. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT AS THEY STARTED THEIR VFR DESCENT TO SACRAMENTO AT APPROX. 3,500', HIS STUDENT POINTED OUT TRAFFIC BELOW THEM TRAVELING EAST TO WEST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THE TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND A HIGH RATE OF SPEED FOR WHAT HE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WAS A CESSNA 172. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE LOOKED TOWARD THEIR FLIGHT PATH WHEN A FLASH AND EXPLOSION RETUNED HIS ATTENTION TO WHERE THE LOWER TRAFFIC HAD BEEN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE CALLED NORCAL APPROACH AND TURNED TO CIRCLE WHAT HE IDENTIFIED AS AN AIRCRAFT ON FIRE ON THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CIRCLED THE SITE WHILE TALKING TO ATC UNTIL A HELICOPTER ARRIVED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THE TIME FROM THEIR ID OF TRAFFIC AND THE EXPLOSION WAS APPROX. 5 SEC. AMENDMENTS TO FOLLOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.