# Accident 20210329004549A: Aviat Inc A-1, Cave Spring, GA, March 29, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 29, 2021, 17:54 local time - Place: Cave Spring, GA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Unknown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.1190° N, 85.3132° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1190&lon=-85.3132&mi=10 - Aircraft: N800MH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N800MH-2022-09-07) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aviat A-1 (registry code 2210302, https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-a-1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (registry code 41504, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIAT INC A-1 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-360-A1D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21FA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA165) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210329004549A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 03/29/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 17:54 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, N800MH, AN AVIAT HUSKY A1, S/N 1210, CRASHED IN CAVE SPRING, GA AFTER STRIKING A POWER LINE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM THE PILOT?S PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN CENTRE, AL, TYPE OF FLIGHT UNKNOWN. PILOT WAS THE ONLY ONE ONBOARD AND SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED WITH WIND AT 7 KNOTS OUT OF 070 ACCORDING TO THE NEAREST AVAILABLE METARS DATA FROM KRMG ROME, GA. I WAS NOTIFIED AT 18:00 LOCAL TIME BY THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER. I ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 21:00 LOCAL. I CONDUCTED AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ACCIDENT SCENE, TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS, AND GATHERED DATA FROM FIRST RESPONDERS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE. THE 12,500 VOLT LINE WAS SEVERED AND CAUSED A FIRE FROM ARCHING ON THE GROUND BUT THE AIRCRAFT NEVER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS KNOCKED THE POWER OUT TO OVER 1700 RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT AUGURED STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND ON A HILLSIDE OF A CLEARED VALLEY APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS BEYOND THE POWER LINES. THIS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADED NORTHWEST ALONG THE VALLEY BEFORE IMPACT. THE PROPELLER WAS BURIED ABOUT 3 FEET INTO THE GROUND SO MOST OF THE ENGINE WAS ALSO SUB TERRAIN. THE EMPENNAGE WAS ALMOST VERTICAL BUT SLIGHTLY LEFT AS THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE APPEARED TO IMPACT SLIGHTLY BEFORE THE RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE. THE COCKPIT AREA WAS CRUSHED FROM IMPACT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK SEAT AREA. I REMOVED BOTH FUEL CAPS AND NOTED 100LL IN THE FORWARD CORNER OF EACH TANK. THE LEFT TANK WAS BREACHED FROM IMPACT AND IT APPEARED AS FUEL WAS RUNNING OUT OF EACH TANK. THE SCENE SMELLED OF AVGAS. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS HAD CONTINUITY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO STRAP THE EMPENNAGE FROM THE ROAD AND WENCH THE AIRCRAFT UP THE HILL TO EXTRACT THE PILOT. THIS REVEALED A CRUSHED INSTRUMENT PANEL AND MOST CONTROL LEVERS WERE CRUSHED FORWARD. THE FLAPS APPEARED TO BE CLEAN. THE NTSB ARRIVED ON SCENE THE NEXT MORNING AND I ASSISTED WITH HIS INVESTIGATION. ONCE COMPLETED THE WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. I OBSERVED THE ENGINE TEARDOWN THE NEXT DAY THAT WAS PERFORMED BY A LYCOMING REPRESENTATIVE. RECEIVED ENGINE TEAR DOWN REPOT ON 04/06/2021. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED IN THE REPORT. I CONTACTED SEVERAL WITNESSES. ONE WITNESS STATED ?AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING AREA AND BUZZED MY HOUSE. AIRCRAFT POWERED DOWN WHILE TOPPING THE HILL. WAS AT ABOUT 500FT THEN HIT THE POWER LINE AND DISAPPEARED OVER THE TREES.? OTHER WITNESSES ALSO USED THE TERMS ?CIRCLING? AND ?BUZZING?. I SPOKE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND REQUESTED THE AIRCRAFT/PILOT LOGBOOKS. I ALSO SPOKE WITH AN A&P MECHANIC THAT HAD HISTORY OF MAINTAINING THE AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT PERFORM THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION ON THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE LOGBOOKS. I DRAFTED A LETTER REQUESTING THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT LOGBOOK INFORMATION. THE LETTER WAS RECEIVED ON 04/15/2021. THE NTSB HAS SINCE SPOKEN TO THE FAMILY AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY LOGBOOKS. RECEIVED THE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. I MARKED NO ON ALL NINE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY. AWAITING AUTOPSY REPORT BEFORE DETERMINING IF AIRMAN MEDICAL QUALIFICATION WAS A FACTOR. THIS ACCIDENT REPORT WILL BE SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT IF THE AUTOPSY REPORT SHOWS AS A FACTOR. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA21FA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA165), Mar 29, 2021: Aviat A-1 (N800MH), Cave Spring, GA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from a power line. ## Other reports on N800MH (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20180410003449I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180410003449I), Apr 10, 2018: Aviat Inc A-1 (N800MH), Centre, AL, Minor damage. With no apparent adverse conditions, duriing landing, pilot inadvertedly pulled aircraft mixture resulting engine shutoff. Pilot attempted to restart engine.… - [Incident 20001117024009I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001117024009I), Nov 17, 2000: Chris A1 (N800MH), Columbia/Mt Ple, TN, Minor damage. (-23) Gusting left xwind, attributed to loss of directional control by student. Instructor unable to effect corrective action. A/c exited runway and soft… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.