# NTSB ATL04CA108: Sawyer Skybolt, N32DS, Philadelphia, MS, May 1, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 1, 2004, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Philadelphia, MS - Coordinates: 32.766666, -89.099998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7667&lon=-89.1000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Jackson FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59282 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04CA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59282/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04CA108 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to see and avoid a guy wire which resulted in an in-flight collision. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, cruise - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - object - guy wire (cause) ## Analysis The airplane collided with a guy wire while in low altitude cruise near Philadelphia, Mississippi. The pilot had just passed over Philadelphia Municipal Airport and turned left to a heading of 140 degrees, cruising at an altitude of 1600 feet. The pilot stated that at the reduced power setting of 2000 RPM, the airplane had a slightly higher angle of attack than normal cruise. After about 8 minutes on the heading of 140 degrees, the pilot felt a shock on the airframe and heard a loud noise. The airplane turned 30 degrees to the left. The airplane was still flyable so the pilot proceeded to the nearest airport, Barrett Field in Philadelphia, Mississippi and landed without incident. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that both left wings were broken off from the middle portion of wing, left wing spar damaged and the left aileron almost completely detached. The pilot stated that "aircraft with characteristics of tandem seating with Pilot-In-Command in the rear, and forward visibility obscured to any degree above the level flight path should not be flown for long periods on a steady heading. Small course changes, left and right will eliminate the obscured area." ## Factual narrative On May 1, 2004, at 1050 central daylight time an experimental Sawyer Steen Skybolt, N32DS, registered to and operated by a commercial pilot collided with a guy wire while in low altitude cruise near Philadelphia, Mississippi. This flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. This flight originated from Louisville Winston County Airport, Louisville, Mississippi on May 1, 2004 at 1015. The pilot had just passed over Philadelphia Municipal Airport and turned left to a heading of 140 degrees, cruising at an altitude of 1600 feet. The pilot stated that at the reduced power setting of 2000 RPM, the airplane had a slightly higher angle of attack than normal cruise. After about 8 minutes on the heading of 140 degrees, the pilot felt a shock on the airframe and heard a loud noise. The airplane turned 30 degrees to the left. The airplane was still flyable so the pilot proceeded to the nearest airport, Barrett Field in Philadelphia, Mississippi and landed without incident. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed both left wings were broken off from middle portion of wing, the left wing spar was damaged and the left aileron almost completely detached. The pilot stated that "aircraft with characteristics of tandem seating with Pilot-In-Command in the rear, and forward visibility obscured to any degree above the level flight path should not be flown for long periods on a steady heading. Small course changes, left and right will eliminate the obscured area." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N32DS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32DS-2017-06-07), registration cancelled 2017-06-07, S/N 1, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Sawyer Skybolt - Registry model: [Sawyer SKYBOLT](https://openairdocs.org/model/sawyer-skybolt) (registry code 05655E7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 01 - Airframe hours: 1346 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert Langley - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 20, 2003, 10 hours before - Departed: LMS, Louisville, MS - Destination: Merdian, MS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 12, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 6,794 total, 49 in this make and model, 5,693 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,100 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KMEI, 31 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040501005819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040501005819A), May 1, 2004: Amtr SKYBOLT, Philadelphia, MS, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft struck a tower during cruise flight at 1600' approx 11 miles southeast of philidelphia ms on a 140 heading to topton airport in meridian, MS… 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. --- 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.