# NTSB CHI04LA061: Aeronca 7AC, N1087E, Prairieville, MI, January 24, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 24, 2004, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Prairieville, MI - Coordinates: 42.483333, -85.533332 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4833&lon=-85.5333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 1, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration: Grand Rapids FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58721 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58721/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA061 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the transmission wires during final approach. Factors to the accident were the unmarked transmission wires and their support poles. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - wire,transmission (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water,frozen ## Analysis The airplane impacted three transmission lines while on final approach to a frozen lake. The accident occurred when a flight of two airplanes was attempting to land. The accident airplane was following the other airplane during the final approach to the lake. The pilot of the preceding airplane announced over the radio "watch for wires" just prior to a successful landing. The accident pilot stated his airplane's landing skis caught all three transmission wires as he attempted to climb away from the obstacle. He reported the landing skis collapsed during the subsequent hard landing and the airplane slid nose-down for approximately 100 feet. The transmission wires were not marked and their support poles were positioned in a forested area adjacent to the lakeshore. ## Factual narrative On January 24, 2004, at 1330 eastern standard time, an Aeronca 7AC, N1087E, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with electrical transmission wires and subsequently an ice-covered Pine Lake, near Prairieville, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained serious injuries and his passenger was uninjured. The local flight departed the Plainwell Municipal Airport (61D) at 1315. According to a pilot interview and his written statement, the accident occurred when a flight of two airplanes was attempting to land on the frozen lake. The accident airplane was following the other airplane during final approach to the lake. The pilot of the preceding airplane announced over the radio "watch for wires" just prior to successfully landing on the lake. The accident pilot stated his airplane's landing skis caught all three transmission wires as he attempted to climb away from the obstacle. He reported the landing skis collapsed during the subsequent hard landing and the airplane slid nose-down for approximately 100 feet. The accident pilot stated the transmission wires were not marked and their support poles were positioned in a forested area adjacent to the lakeshore. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1087E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1087E), registered now, S/N 7AC-4640 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aeronca 7AC - Registry model: [Aeronca 7AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (registry code 2110102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7AC-4640 - Airframe hours: 2880 - Engines: Continental A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2003, 37 hours before - Departed: 61D, Plainwell, MI - Destination: Prairieville, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 13, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 886 total, 250 in this make and model, 886 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 18 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: AZO, 15 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 20040124000929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040124000929A), Jan 24, 2004: Bbavia 7AC, Plainwell, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) He was on final approach for a touch and go landing with skiies at pine lake, allegan county, Michigan. The aircraft in front of him advised him to watch… 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.