- Date
- July 2, 2006, 11:55 local (15:55 UTC)
- Place
- Hertford, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6NNickel Acro II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Greensboro FSDO-05
- FAA report
- 20060702017099A
- Case key
- 64035
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The certified flight instructor and commercial pilot receiving instruction failure to maintain a visual look out, resulting in a wire strike on final approach, and collapse of the main landing gear on touchdown.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot receiving instruction stated that he had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving instruction from the certified flight instructor (CFI) in the tail wheel airplane for insurance purposes. He and the CFI departed earlier in the morning and had conducted touch and go landings at three different airports to include the accident airport before they stopped to refuel the airplane. After refueling the airplane he and the CFI took off and flew back to the accident airport to do more touch and go landings. The pilot stated, "both my instructor and I were aware of the power lines." They entered the traffic pattern and the pilot made another touch and go landing. The pilot remained in closed traffic, turned final approach for the second touch and go landing, and the airplane collided with the power lines. The power lines separated, the airplane collided with the runway, and collapsed the main landing gear. When asked why the airplane collided with the power lines, the pilot stated, "we simply did not see them on this approach."
Factual narrative
On July 2, 2006, at 1155 eastern daylight time, a Nickel Acro II, N6N, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with power lines and the runway on final approach to runway 22 at Craig Craft Airport, Hertford, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The commercial pilot flight instructor (CFI) received serious injuries, and the commercial pilot receiving flight instruction reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Craig Craft Airport on July 2, 2006, at 1150.
The pilot receiving instruction stated he had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving instruction from the CFI in the tail wheel airplane for insurance purposes. He and the CFI departed earlier in the morning and had conducted touch and go landings at three different airports to include the accident airport before they stopped to refuel the airplane. After refueling the airplane he and the CFI took off and flew back to the accident airport to do more touch and go landings. The pilot stated, "both my instructor and I were aware of the power lines." They entered the traffic pattern and the pilot made another touch and go landing. The pilot remained in closed traffic, turned final approach for the second touch and go landing, and the airplane collided with the power lines. The power lines separated, the airplane collided with the runway, and collapsed the main landing gear. When asked why the airplane collided with the power lines, the pilot stated, "we simply did not see them on this approach."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6N
- Reported as
- Nickel Acro II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 459
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Eric W. Wright
- Registered owner
- Gary L. Thomas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 86NC · Hertford, NC
- Destination
- 86NC · Hertford, NC
- Airport
- 86NC · Craig Craft Airport, runway 22, 2,990 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 3 in this make and model · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2005
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,874 total · 15 in this make and model · 836 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KECG, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2006, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.