# NTSB CEN13LA211: Bellanca 17-30A, N96JG, Plainview, TX, March 27, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 26, 2013, 22:00 local (Mar 27, 2013, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Plainview, TX - Coordinates: 34.189441, -101.720993 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1894&lon=-101.7210&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86538 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA211 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86538/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86538 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA211 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper decision to fly in night visual meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain altitude and clearance from obstacles. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate; cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot, with about 24 hours of flight experience, departed on a local flight with a passenger in night visual meteorological conditions. During cruise flight, the airplane struck a 102-foot-high power line. The power line broke through the cockpit windshield, and the airplane descended and impacted terrain. No mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane were reported that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On March 26, 2013, about 2200 central daylight time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N96JG, struck a power line during cruise flight near Plainview, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing. The student pilot sustained minor injuries and a passenger was uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident for the local flight that originated from Hale County Airport, Plainview, Texas, at time unknown. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector stated that the airplane struck a power line that was about 102 feet in height during en route cruise. The power line broke the windshield, and the airplane descended into terrain. The lower or upper portions of the fuselage or empennage were struck by a power line. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger was uninjured. No mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation were reported by the FAA. The pilot's student pilot certificate was revoked because the pilot did not hold a pilot certificate while carrying a passenger. The student pilot had a total flight time of about 24 hours, of which 8 hours were in the airplane make and model. The student pilot did not contact the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) after a voicemail was left by the IIC on April 15, 2013, instructing the student pilot to contact the IIC. A National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (Form 6120.1) was sent to the student pilot on April 17, 2013. A Form 6120.1 was not received from the pilot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N96JG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96JG-2015-05-20), registration cancelled 2015-05-20, S/N 96-301023, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-30A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 96-301023 - Year built: 1995 - Engines: Continental IO-550 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Plainview, TX - Destination: Plainview, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 24 total, 8 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 170° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 14 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: PVW ## 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 20130326003369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130326003369A), Mar 26, 2013: Bellanca 17-30A, Lockney, TX, Substantial damage. The aircraft was being operated by its owner, who holds a student pilot certificate. The pilot was operating the aircraft on a private flight at night with one… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86538. 717 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Request (item 1, .PDF, 612 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405390&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Request-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Student Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405391&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405392&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF 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.