What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N67GM, a Miller Gary RV-6A airplane, crashed near williams, CA, on September 23, 2013, at about 1857 pacific daylight time (PDT), after it collided with high-tension power lines.
The private pilot/owner, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The personal flight was conducted under the provision of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR), and originated from willows-glenn county airport, willows, CA.
The airplane was observed flying northbound at a very low altitude (approximately 200 feet) over hwy 20, 10 miles west of williams. The right wing struck the lower of six unmarked high-tension power wires strung across a valley between two hills; the wing had severed one wire, and a fragment of the airplane was found hanging from the other wire. The remains of the airplane landed upside down about 300 yards north of the power lines, and the majority of the wreckage was contained within a 500-feet radius of the point of impact.
A detailed examination of the wreckage was limited due to post-impact fire, which consumed most of the fuselage forward of the tail section, including the cockpit, and flight control continuity could not be established. The engine and propeller were torn away on impact.
The airplane wreckage was transported to an approved tear-down facility for further examination. This report may be revised with additional evidence.
As the FAA filed it
N67GM, A MILLER GARY RV-6A AIRPLANE, CRASHED NEAR WILLIAMS, CA, ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2013, AT ABOUT 1857 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT), AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH HIGH-TENSION POWER LINES.
THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISION OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR), AND ORIGINATED FROM WILLOWS-GLENN COUNTY AIRPORT, WILLOWS, CA.
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING NORTHBOUND AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE (APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET) OVER HWY 20, 10 MILES WEST OF WILLIAMS. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE LOWER OF SIX UNMARKED HIGH-TENSION POWER WIRES STRUNG ACROSS A VALLEY BETWEEN TWO HILLS; THE WING HAD SEVERED ONE WIRE, AND A FRAGMENT OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND HANGING FROM THE OTHER WIRE. THE REMAINS OF THE AIRPLANE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ABOUT 300 YARDS NORTH OF THE POWER LINES, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED WITHIN A 500-FEET RADIUS OF THE POINT OF IMPACT.
A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS LIMITED DUE TO POST-IMPACT FIRE, WHICH CONSUMED MOST OF THE FUSELAGE FORWARD OF THE TAIL SECTION, INCLUDING THE COCKPIT, AND FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE TORN AWAY ON IMPACT.
THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN APPROVED TEAR-DOWN FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. THIS REPORT MAY BE REVISED WITH ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.