What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2025, pilot departed bellingham international airport (kbli) to meet with his father in darrington (1S2). VFR weather, sunny day. While on route near Concrete, Washington. Pilot stated he wanted to inspect and possibly land at one of the long gravel bars on the skagit river. While inspecting power lines in the approach area of the intended gravel bar the pilot sank a bit and regained altitude. The pilot saw a power line pass overhead and immediately hit the rear stabilizer. The pilot stated he were wearing polarized sunglasses on which may have been a factor in not seeing the power cable.
The plane spun around almost 180 and I went full throttle and pitched down to regain airspeed but was unable to regain control of the aircraft and went into the hillside next to the riverbank. Pilot hit the bank and knew pilot had no major injuries. Upon exiting the aircraft, pilot called 911 and reported the accident. The pilot walked up the riverbank to a backyard adjacent to the river to get help and was taken to hospital for xrays and stitches in his forehead.
This statement maybe amended after the NTSB report.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2025, PILOT DEPARTED BELLINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KBLI) TO MEET WITH HIS FATHER IN DARRINGTON (1S2). VFR WEATHER, SUNNY DAY. WHILE ON ROUTE NEAR CONCRETE, WASHINGTON. PILOT STATED HE WANTED TO INSPECT AND POSSIBLY LAND AT ONE OF THE LONG GRAVEL BARS ON THE SKAGIT RIVER. WHILE INSPECTING POWER LINES IN THE APPROACH AREA OF THE INTENDED GRAVEL BAR THE PILOT SANK A BIT AND REGAINED ALTITUDE. THE PILOT SAW A POWER LINE PASS OVERHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY HIT THE REAR STABILIZER. THE PILOT STATED HE WERE WEARING POLARIZED SUNGLASSES ON WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN NOT SEEING THE POWER CABLE.
THE PLANE SPUN AROUND ALMOST 180 AND I WENT FULL THROTTLE AND PITCHED DOWN TO REGAIN AIRSPEED BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WENT INTO THE HILLSIDE NEXT TO THE RIVERBANK. PILOT HIT THE BANK AND KNEW PILOT HAD NO MAJOR INJURIES. UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, PILOT CALLED 911 AND REPORTED THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WALKED UP THE RIVERBANK TO A BACKYARD ADJACENT TO THE RIVER TO GET HELP AND WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR XRAYS AND STITCHES IN HIS FOREHEAD.
THIS STATEMENT MAYBE AMENDED AFTER THE NTSB REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.