What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the evening of November 07, 2017 at approximately 2000 MST, N9738J came into contact with powerlines while executing a final approach into runway 34 at Limon airport (lic). The powerlines are located .52 nautical miles from where the aircraft first impacted and stand at a height of approximately 75'. The ensuing damage to the powerline disabled power to Limon airport.
Upon contacting the powerlines the right wing tip, as well as right aileron, departed the aircraft. In the pilot's statement he indicates that after the wire strike, the aircraft started to roll to the left with a nose low attitude. He attempted to correct however, the aircraft was very sluggish and did not respond like he would have expected. As the aircraft approached the runway environment, the pilot saw what he believed to be hangars. Knowing that the runway was to the east of the hangars the pilot applied right rudder in an attempt to position himself over what he assumed to be the runway.
Upon examination of the accident scene the following morning it was noted that the aircraft's first impact took place approximately 150' east of the runway and off of airport property. The aircraft then continued for another 80' before coming to a rest. The pilot sustained one head laceration but could not tell if it was caused by turbulence or impact forces.
The national weather service station for Limon airport at 1955 MST on 11/07/2017 indicated the following; winds from the north at 30MPH gusting to 41MPH, light snow, 31 degrees farenheight, with the lowest cloud layer at 4,200AGL. In the pilot's statement he noted that while on final approach, he was using the precision approach path indicator(PAPI) as well as visual cues to maintain a proper glide path. While on the glide path he encountered a downdraft that pushed his aircraft into the powerlines resulting in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 07, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 MST, N9738J CAME INTO CONTACT WITH POWERLINES WHILE EXECUTING A FINAL APPROACH INTO RUNWAY 34 AT LIMON AIRPORT (LIC). THE POWERLINES ARE LOCATED .52 NAUTICAL MILES FROM WHERE THE AIRCRAFT FIRST IMPACTED AND STAND AT A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 75'. THE ENSUING DAMAGE TO THE POWERLINE DISABLED POWER TO LIMON AIRPORT.
UPON CONTACTING THE POWERLINES THE RIGHT WING TIP, AS WELL AS RIGHT AILERON, DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. IN THE PILOT'S STATEMENT HE INDICATES THAT AFTER THE WIRE STRIKE, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT WITH A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY SLUGGISH AND DID NOT RESPOND LIKE HE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT, THE PILOT SAW WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE HANGARS. KNOWING THAT THE RUNWAY WAS TO THE EAST OF THE HANGARS THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO POSITION HIMSELF OVER WHAT HE ASSUMED TO BE THE RUNWAY.
UPON EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE THE FOLLOWING MORNING IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRST IMPACT TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 150' EAST OF THE RUNWAY AND OFF OF AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 80' BEFORE COMING TO A REST. THE PILOT SUSTAINED ONE HEAD LACERATION BUT COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS CAUSED BY TURBULENCE OR IMPACT FORCES.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATION FOR LIMON AIRPORT AT 1955 MST ON 11/07/2017 INDICATED THE FOLLOWING; WINDS FROM THE NORTH AT 30MPH GUSTING TO 41MPH, LIGHT SNOW, 31 DEGREES FARENHEIGHT, WITH THE LOWEST CLOUD LAYER AT 4,200AGL. IN THE PILOT'S STATEMENT HE NOTED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, HE WAS USING THE PRECISION APPROACH PATH INDICATOR(PAPI) AS WELL AS VISUAL CUES TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH. WHILE ON THE GLIDE PATH HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT THAT PUSHED HIS AIRCRAFT INTO THE POWERLINES RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.