- Date
- August 15, 2012, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dexter, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N167MBBrown Mitch Challenger II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA St. Louis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120815029159A
- Case key
- 84729
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 operation of an airplane by a noncertificated pilot and his failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level flight.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The noncertificated pilot reported that he was flying the experimental airplane between 50 and 300 feet above ground level. The airplane’s front landing gear hit a power line wire, which resulted in the airplane impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that he did not see the power lines crossing the field and that there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane prior to the wire strike.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was flying the experimental airplane between 50 to 300 feet above ground level. The airplane’s front landing gear hit a power line wire which resulted in the airplane impacting the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that he did not see the power lines crossing the field, and that there was no mechanical malfunction of the airplane prior to the wire strike.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N167MB
- Reported as
- Brown Mitch Challenger II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CH2-0403-2313
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell David Collins
- Registered owner
- Russell David Collins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- Neelyville, MO
- Destination
- DXE · Dexter, MO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 829 KB 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.