What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was enroute to gai on an instrument flight plan. He showed sufficient difficulties with getting on a correct heading enroute that his controller found it necessary to explain to an adjacent sector that the pilot was navigationally challenged and turning "all over the place". When he was cleared for the RNAV 14 approach and had changed to the CTAF frequency he descend FAR enough below minimums to cause a low altitude alert. The controller tried to reach him but received no reply.
The pilot stated when interviewed that once he had ground contact he ceased to watch his altimeter and flew as necessary to maintain ground contact.
The aircraft struck the wires in a high tension line and then lodged in one of the towers of an adjacent high tension line at about the 100 foot AGL level, approximately 1.2NM from the runway threshold.
The approach was being made in IMC weather with gai reporting a 200 foot ceiling and 1 1/4 sm visibility.
Kgai 272156Z auto VRB04KT 1 1/4SM br OVC002 11/11 A2945 rmk AO2 SLP987 T01060106 was the last METAR before the power loss resulting from the accident.
The pilot initially reported the crash to the local 911 operator by cell phone. He and his passenger were treated at a local trauma center with serious injuries.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE TO GAI ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN. HE SHOWED SUFFICIENT DIFFICULTIES WITH GETTING ON A CORRECT HEADING ENROUTE THAT HIS CONTROLLER FOUND IT NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN TO AN ADJACENT SECTOR THAT THE PILOT WAS NAVIGATIONALLY CHALLENGED AND TURNING "ALL OVER THE PLACE". WHEN HE WAS CLEARED FOR THE RNAV 14 APPROACH AND HAD CHANGED TO THE CTAF FREQUENCY HE DESCEND FAR ENOUGH BELOW MINIMUMS TO CAUSE A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT. THE CONTROLLER TRIED TO REACH HIM BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY.
THE PILOT STATED WHEN INTERVIEWED THAT ONCE HE HAD GROUND CONTACT HE CEASED TO WATCH HIS ALTIMETER AND FLEW AS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN GROUND CONTACT.
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE WIRES IN A HIGH TENSION LINE AND THEN LODGED IN ONE OF THE TOWERS OF AN ADJACENT HIGH TENSION LINE AT ABOUT THE 100 FOOT AGL LEVEL, APPROXIMATELY 1.2NM FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.
THE APPROACH WAS BEING MADE IN IMC WEATHER WITH GAI REPORTING A 200 FOOT CEILING AND 1 1/4 SM VISIBILITY.
KGAI 272156Z AUTO VRB04KT 1 1/4SM BR OVC002 11/11 A2945 RMK AO2 SLP987 T01060106 WAS THE LAST METAR BEFORE THE POWER LOSS RESULTING FROM THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT INITIALLY REPORTED THE CRASH TO THE LOCAL 911 OPERATOR BY CELL PHONE. HE AND HIS PASSENGER WERE TREATED AT A LOCAL TRAUMA CENTER WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N201RF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.