What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 24, 2022, at approximately 9:15 mountain standard time, a Ross Jonathan model RV8 aircraft, N207RV impacted a power line approximately 15 miles northeast of Pinon Arizona. The aircraft departed four corners regional, NM (kfmn) in route to rosamond sky park, CA (L00), the intended flight path crossed south of the grand canyon and then direct to the destination. While operating at 8500 ft. MSL in a loose formation with another aircraft, at approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot stated, ?the terrain rose up quickly close to our current altitude.? The pilot indicated that after referring to a sectional, made the decision to remain at the current altitude. Within approximately 5 minutes, the pilot stated that he ?chose to fly between a line of power lines off to my left that followed the route, and higher terrain on my right which seemed like a safe position.? The pilot stated he observed 3 horizontal power lines stacked vertically and perpendicular in the flight path and felt ?a thump?. The second aircraft rejoined the accident aircraft and reported ?the upper part of my vertical stabilizer was missing.? The pilot declared an emergency and landed at prescott-love field without further incident.
The aircraft propeller, spinner and left wing leading edge exhibiting marks consistent with a power line impact. The upper 14-16 inches of vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, the missing sections were not recovered.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 24, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROSS JONATHAN MODEL RV8 AIRCRAFT, N207RV IMPACTED A POWER LINE APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF PINON ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL, NM (KFMN) IN ROUTE TO ROSAMOND SKY PARK, CA (L00), THE INTENDED FLIGHT PATH CROSSED SOUTH OF THE GRAND CANYON AND THEN DIRECT TO THE DESTINATION. WHILE OPERATING AT 8500 FT. MSL IN A LOOSE FORMATION WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT STATED, ?THE TERRAIN ROSE UP QUICKLY CLOSE TO OUR CURRENT ALTITUDE.? THE PILOT INDICATED THAT AFTER REFERRING TO A SECTIONAL, MADE THE DECISION TO REMAIN AT THE CURRENT ALTITUDE. WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ?CHOSE TO FLY BETWEEN A LINE OF POWER LINES OFF TO MY LEFT THAT FOLLOWED THE ROUTE, AND HIGHER TERRAIN ON MY RIGHT WHICH SEEMED LIKE A SAFE POSITION.? THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED 3 HORIZONTAL POWER LINES STACKED VERTICALLY AND PERPENDICULAR IN THE FLIGHT PATH AND FELT ?A THUMP?. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT REJOINED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AND REPORTED ?THE UPPER PART OF MY VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS MISSING.? THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT PRESCOTT-LOVE FIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER, SPINNER AND LEFT WING LEADING EDGE EXHIBITING MARKS CONSISTENT WITH A POWER LINE IMPACT. THE UPPER 14-16 INCHES OF VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE SEVERED, THE MISSING SECTIONS WERE NOT RECOVERED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.