What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was on a sight seeing flight with a friend and flying below the canyon ridge line. The pilot came to a "y" in the canyon and turned left. The terrain prevented the pilot from seeing the power poles. In addition, the sun would have hindered seeing the poles at that time of day along with wires draped through the canyon. The left wing struck one wire. Two stranded aluminum wires approximately 3/4 inch diameter were cut and another wire appears to have pulled and is hanging lower. The aircraft then fill to the ground resulting in two fatalities.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS ON A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT WITH A FRIEND AND FLYING BELOW THE CANYON RIDGE LINE. THE PILOT CAME TO A "Y" IN THE CANYON AND TURNED LEFT. THE TERRAIN PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM SEEING THE POWER POLES. IN ADDITION, THE SUN WOULD HAVE HINDERED SEEING THE POLES AT THAT TIME OF DAY ALONG WITH WIRES DRAPED THROUGH THE CANYON. THE LEFT WING STRUCK ONE WIRE. TWO STRANDED ALUMINUM WIRES APPROXIMATELY 3/4 INCH DIAMETER WERE CUT AND ANOTHER WIRE APPEARS TO HAVE PULLED AND IS HANGING LOWER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FILL TO THE GROUND RESULTING IN TWO FATALITIES.
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 N2898J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.