- Date
- May 31, 2002, 17:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Galesville, WI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3027FCessna 182J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 4, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration MKE FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020531038049A
- Case key
- 54835
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 pilot failed to maintain clearance with the wires while on final approach. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude, the downdraft, and the wires which the airplane contacted.
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 airplane collided with static wires on final approach to land. The pilot reported that he added power then the airplane encountered a downdraft while on base leg to land. He reported that on final approach another downdraft was encountered and he applied full power, but the airplane struck power lines with the nose gear. According to the pilot, a wire broke and another wire caught the aircraft and pulled it down. The pilot reported that after touchdown the nose gear folded back and the propeller struck the ground. The wind was reported to be 330 degrees at 9 knots at La Crosse Municipal Airport, La Crosse, Wisconsin which is 22 miles southeast of Carhart Farms Airport.
Factual narrative
On May 31, 2002, at 1705 central daylight time, a Cessna 182J, N3027F, owned and piloted by an airline transport rated pilot, sustained substantial damage when the aircraft struck power lines on final approach for runway 27 (2,500 feet by 50 feet, dry/turf) at Carhart Farms Airport, Galesville, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers reported no injuries. The local flight had originated at Carhart Farms Airport at 1615.
According to the pilot's written statement, upon returning to Carhart Farms Airport he turned to base leg, extended half flaps, and added some power. The pilot stated, "Just as I added power there was a down draft which caused me to add more power." He reported that upon turning to final approach, he applied full flaps and experienced "...another considerable down draft which caused me to go to full power nose up slightly ... about that time I caught the high lines with the nose gear." According to the pilot, "We slowed quickly but a wire broke and I got the nose back up another wire got tight and pulled us down." The pilot stated that after touchdown the nose gear folded back and the propeller struck the ground.
The wind was reported to be 330 degrees at 9 knots at the La Crosse Municipal Airport, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 22 miles southeast of Carhart Farms Airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3027F
- Reported as
- Cessna 182J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18257127
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles G. Severson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 4W18 · Galesville, WI
- Destination
- 4WI8 · Galesville, WI
- Airport
- 4WI8 · Carhart Airport, runway 27, 2,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- KLSE, 22 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 407 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.