# Accident 20130423005969A: Cessna 152, Americus, GA, April 23, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 23, 2013, 18:45 local time - Place: Americus, GA - Airport: Jimmy Carter Regional - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other, Specify - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.1550° N, 84.3239° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1550&lon=-84.3239&mi=10 - Aircraft: N757GX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N757GX) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 72 total, 8 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13CA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA230) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130423005969A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON APRIL 23 AT APPROXIMATELY 1845Z, AIRCRAFT OPERATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED KACJ ON RUNWAY 5 AND MADE TWO CIRCLES AROUND A LOCAL POINT OF INTEREST TO ALLOW HIS PASSENGER TO SEE IT. HE PROCEEDED ON A NORTHERLY HEADING IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF KPXE INTENDING TO USE THE 20 MILE STRETCH OF THE FLIGHT TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. APPROXIMATELY 5MILES NORTH EAST OF KACJ AT ABOUT 1000 AGL, HE REDUCED POWER TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE EMERGENCY, AND PROCEEDED TO A PLOWED FIELD. HE INTENDED TO DESCEND TO ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE TOP OF PIVOT IRRIGATION IN THE FIELD AND INITIATE A GO AROUND. AS HE CROSSED THE FIELD HE NOTICED A SHIMMER OF LIGHT AHEAD OF HIM WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A REFLECTION OFF OF A POWER LINE. HE PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE AND GAVE RIGHT AILERON WHILE APPLYING FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE POWER LINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO BRIEFLY YAW TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN BACK TO THE LEFT. HE REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT POWER AND INSTRUMENTS INDICATIONS REMAINED NORMAL AND HE COULD NOT SEE ANY OBVIOUS DAMAGE. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND OPTED TO PROCEED TO KACJ FEARING THAT AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WOULD RESULT IN A GREATER CHANCE OF INJURY. HE ADVISED TRAFFIC OF HIS INTENTIONS AND FLEW THE APPROACH AT A HIGHER THAN USUAL AIRSPEED IN CASE OF UNSEEN DAMAGE. AT THE ROUND OUT, HE NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT EXHIBITED UNUSUAL YAW TENDENCIES REQUIRING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LEFT RUDDER IN THE FLAIR. HE WAS ABLE TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AND SHUT DOWN IN A NORMAL MANNER AT APPROXIMATELY 1910Z. THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE SPINNER, COWLING AND A NICK ON ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE. PIC STATEMENT:THE FOLLOWING IS, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND KNOWLEDGE, A FACTUAL ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS TRANSPIRING BETWEEN 1700Z AND 1900Z ON 23 APRIL 2013. THIS NARRATIVE DESCRIBES THE EVENTS SURROUNDING A POWER LINE STRIKE THAT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS PILOTING A CESSNA 152 (REGISTRATION NUMBER: N757GX). I CURRENTLY HOLD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE FOR AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I HAD LOGGED APPROXIMATELY 72 HOURS TOTAL TIME. THE MAJORITY OF THIS TIME WAS LOGGED IN A CESSNA 172 WITH APPROXIMATELY 7 HOURS LOGGED IN THE 152 AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ON 22 APRIL 2013 I PLANNED A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM KPXE TO KABY TO KACJ AND THEN BACK TO KPXE. THE GOAL OF THIS FLIGHT WAS TO BUILD CROSS-COUNTRY TIME IN PREPARATION FOR THE 50 HOURS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN INSTRUMENT RATING. SECONDARILY, I PLANNED TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO CONTINUE TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND TO MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY. I PLANNED TO HAVE A PASSENGER JOIN ME FOR THE FLIGHT. ALL NECESSARY PLANNING WAS COMPLETED AT THIS TIME INCLUDING WEATHER ANALYSIS, WEIGHT AND BALANCE, AND COURSE PLANNING. AT APPROXIMATELY 1630Z ON 23 APRIL 2013 I OBTAINED A STANDARD WEATHER BRIEF FROM FLIGHT SERVICE. WEATHER CONDITIONS, NOTAMS, AND OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION WAS BRIEFED AND FOUND TO BE ACCEPTABLE. I AND MY PASSENGER ARRIVED AT THE KPXE SHORTLY BEFORE 1700Z AND PROCEEDED TO PREFLIGHT THE AIRPLANE AND TAKE ON FUEL. WE DEPARTED KPXE AT APPROXIMATELY 1720Z AND PROCEEDED TOWARD KABY VIA LAKE BLACKSHEAR AS A VISUAL REFERENCE POINT. THIS PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND A TOUCH AND GO LANDING WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 4 AT KABY. I DEPARTED KABY AT 1822Z AND PROCEEDED NORTH TO KAJC. AT KACJ I PERFORMED A FULL STOP LANDING ON RUNWAY 5. AFTER A BRIEF STOP AT KACJ, I DEPARTED RUNWAY 5 UNEVENTFULLY TO THE EAST AT APPROXIMATELY 1845Z. I MADE TWO CIRCLES AROUND A LOCAL POINT OF INTEREST TO ALLOW MY PASSENGER TO SEE IT. AFTER THIS I TURNED ON A NORTHERLY HEADING IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF KPXE. I INTENDED TO USE THIS 20 MILE STRETCH OF THE FLIGHT TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. I HAVE FLOWN THIS ROUT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND I CONSIDERED IT TO BE IDEAL FOR THIS PURPOSE. IT IS A LARGELY RURAL (END) ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA13CA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA230), Apr 23, 2013: Cessna 152 (N757GX), Americus, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s delayed decision to terminate the practice approach during a simulated loss of engine power maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with utility wires. ## Other reports on N757GX (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19921209054579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921209054579I), Dec 9, 1992: Cessna 152 (N757GX), Buffalo, NY, Minor damage. Pilot struck a deer on landing rollout. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.