What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, December 21, 2019, at approximately 1822 MST, a Cessna,
CE-182F, N3371U, registered to ben e. preusserprivacy data omitted departed gyr airport. According to privacy data omitted the pilot and owner, privacy data omitted, was flying a ?maintenance? Flight to check his newly installed ADS-B equipment. Radar track indicated that the aircraft had initially climbed to 2000 ft AGL, made two circles, and then started back toward the airport.
Goodyear airport ATC personnel told N3371U to slow in order to let another aircraft land first. privacy data omitted Acknowledged. Radar shows the aircraft slowed to 52 knots. This particular aircraft?s stall speed is 49 knots with flaps between 30 to 40%, which was indicated at the scene of the accident. Based on radar track information the PIC dropped down to 100 AGL in a gradual decent. Approximately, eight and a half minutes after take-off and 1.5 miles sw of Goodyear airport, the aircraft struck a high tension power line.
The power lines damaged were noted by the electric company present at the scene (srp), to be at 111 ft AGL. Witness marks show that two electrical lines were initially struck by the left wing and strut. This caused the aircraft to flip over, impacting the ground in an inverted position. The PIC was fatally injured and was the only person on board. The damage to the aircraft was substantial.
The reported weather at the time was winds at 020 degrees and 06 KTS. The visibility was 10+ miles and clear. Approximately 40 gallons of fuel was siphoned from the aircraft at the time of recovery. The fuel selector was noted as being in the ?both? Fuel tank position.
After tear down and inspection, there were no indications that the engine, airframe, flight controls, or any components had issues which would have caused or contributed to the accident. The ADS-B equipment and software which had been recently added were installed per regulations. A part 91.413 recertification was complied with on 12/20/19.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1822 MST, A CESSNA,
CE-182F, N3371U, REGISTERED TO BEN E. PREUSSER^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED GYR AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE PILOT AND OWNER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS FLYING A ?MAINTENANCE? FLIGHT TO CHECK HIS NEWLY INSTALLED ADS-B EQUIPMENT. RADAR TRACK INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD INITIALLY CLIMBED TO 2000 FT AGL, MADE TWO CIRCLES, AND THEN STARTED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT.
GOODYEAR AIRPORT ATC PERSONNEL TOLD N3371U TO SLOW IN ORDER TO LET ANOTHER AIRCRAFT LAND FIRST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACKNOWLEDGED. RADAR SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO 52 KNOTS. THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT?S STALL SPEED IS 49 KNOTS WITH FLAPS BETWEEN 30 TO 40%, WHICH WAS INDICATED AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. BASED ON RADAR TRACK INFORMATION THE PIC DROPPED DOWN TO 100 AGL IN A GRADUAL DECENT. APPROXIMATELY, EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTES AFTER TAKE-OFF AND 1.5 MILES SW OF GOODYEAR AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE.
THE POWER LINES DAMAGED WERE NOTED BY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY PRESENT AT THE SCENE (SRP), TO BE AT 111 FT AGL. WITNESS MARKS SHOW THAT TWO ELECTRICAL LINES WERE INITIALLY STRUCK BY THE LEFT WING AND STRUT. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER, IMPACTING THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE PIC WAS FATALLY INJURED AND WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL.
THE REPORTED WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS WINDS AT 020 DEGREES AND 06 KTS. THE VISIBILITY WAS 10+ MILES AND CLEAR. APPROXIMATELY 40 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS SIPHONED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF RECOVERY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS NOTED AS BEING IN THE ?BOTH? FUEL TANK POSITION.
AFTER TEAR DOWN AND INSPECTION, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE, AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ANY COMPONENTS HAD ISSUES WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ADS-B EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE WHICH HAD BEEN RECENTLY ADDED WERE INSTALLED PER REGULATIONS. A PART 91.413 RECERTIFICATION WAS COMPLIED WITH ON 12/20/19.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.