What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft had made a precautionary landing for fuel on a dirt road approximately 5 miles to the east of San Simon at approximately noon. After the pilot had added more fuel to the tank he took off on his way to las cruces, NM at approximately 1800.
As he took off to the west, the pilot was aware of electrical wires which paralleled the dirt road on the south side. He was also aware of trees on the right hand side of the road. He states that as he lifted off his left wing came up under the power lines. When the wing contacted the power lines the aircraft then flipped over the electrical lines and dove into the orchard which was located to the south of the road.
The aircraft was destroyed, but the pilot was able to climb out of the wreckage with only a cut to his head and minor contusions and pain in his lower back.
When discussing the flight the pilot explained that he was delivering the aircraft to the new buyer in las cruces, NM. He had flown the aircraft from salome to San Simon with one stop in eloy for gas. He had determined that he was going to be short of fuel to make his next expected stop at lordsburg. Therefore he made the landing on the dirt road and was aware of the electrical lines while he was landing, but had landed without incident and felt that he could take off without any problems.
Additional investigation revealed the plot did not have a medical since 2010, and had not had a biennial flight review. The pilot was under the impression that he could fly the aircraft as a light sport pilot, and therefore did not require a medical or flight review.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT HAD MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING FOR FUEL ON A DIRT ROAD APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES TO THE EAST OF SAN SIMON AT APPROXIMATELY NOON. AFTER THE PILOT HAD ADDED MORE FUEL TO THE TANK HE TOOK OFF ON HIS WAY TO LAS CRUCES, NM AT APPROXIMATELY 1800.
AS HE TOOK OFF TO THE WEST, THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF ELECTRICAL WIRES WHICH PARALLELED THE DIRT ROAD ON THE SOUTH SIDE. HE WAS ALSO AWARE OF TREES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE STATES THAT AS HE LIFTED OFF HIS LEFT WING CAME UP UNDER THE POWER LINES. WHEN THE WING CONTACTED THE POWER LINES THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED OVER THE ELECTRICAL LINES AND DOVE INTO THE ORCHARD WHICH WAS LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF THE ROAD.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OUT OF THE WRECKAGE WITH ONLY A CUT TO HIS HEAD AND MINOR CONTUSIONS AND PAIN IN HIS LOWER BACK.
WHEN DISCUSSING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS DELIVERING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE NEW BUYER IN LAS CRUCES, NM. HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT FROM SALOME TO SAN SIMON WITH ONE STOP IN ELOY FOR GAS. HE HAD DETERMINED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE SHORT OF FUEL TO MAKE HIS NEXT EXPECTED STOP AT LORDSBURG. THEREFORE HE MADE THE LANDING ON THE DIRT ROAD AND WAS AWARE OF THE ELECTRICAL LINES WHILE HE WAS LANDING, BUT HAD LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND FELT THAT HE COULD TAKE OFF WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS.
ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLOT DID NOT HAVE A MEDICAL SINCE 2010, AND HAD NOT HAD A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. THE PILOT WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HE COULD FLY THE AIRCRAFT AS A LIGHT SPORT PILOT, AND THEREFORE DID NOT REQUIRE A MEDICAL OR FLIGHT REVIEW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.