What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 30, 2016 at approximately 1700 local time N4212B, a v-tail Beechcraft bonanza F35, departed Long Island, NC (NC26) from runway 5. The pilot in command (PIC) made a right turn and headed southeast down the middle of lake norman. N4212B impacted a set of four power lines that traversed the lake and were below the tree line on both shorelines. Representatives of the power company responsible for the power lines estimated their height at 65 feet off the water. The distance from NC26 to the power lines was 1.08 statute miles. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The PIC stated he did not have any mechanical issues with the aircraft and did not know why he was flying below 100 feet off the water. N4212B sustained a partially shattered windshield, damage to the nose cone, damage to the right wing, a broken right navigation light, and substantial damage to the v-tail. The PIC had minor injuries and the other two occupants were uninjured. After severing the power lines N4212B continued to a full stop landing at lake norman airpark (14A). Accident investigation completed. Eir 2016EA680010 opened.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 30, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME N4212B, A V-TAIL BEECHCRAFT BONANZA F35, DEPARTED LONG ISLAND, NC (NC26) FROM RUNWAY 5. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) MADE A RIGHT TURN AND HEADED SOUTHEAST DOWN THE MIDDLE OF LAKE NORMAN. N4212B IMPACTED A SET OF FOUR POWER LINES THAT TRAVERSED THE LAKE AND WERE BELOW THE TREE LINE ON BOTH SHORELINES. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE POWER COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POWER LINES ESTIMATED THEIR HEIGHT AT 65 FEET OFF THE WATER. THE DISTANCE FROM NC26 TO THE POWER LINES WAS 1.08 STATUTE MILES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PIC STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS FLYING BELOW 100 FEET OFF THE WATER. N4212B SUSTAINED A PARTIALLY SHATTERED WINDSHIELD, DAMAGE TO THE NOSE CONE, DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, A BROKEN RIGHT NAVIGATION LIGHT, AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE V-TAIL. THE PIC HAD MINOR INJURIES AND THE OTHER TWO OCCUPANTS WERE UNINJURED. AFTER SEVERING THE POWER LINES N4212B CONTINUED TO A FULL STOP LANDING AT LAKE NORMAN AIRPARK (14A). ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMPLETED. EIR 2016EA680010 OPENED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.