- Date
- February 8, 2008, 12:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Litchfield, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4726VCessna 172RG
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080208857779A
- Case key
- 67680
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's intentional low altitude flight and his failure to maintain clearance from the static wire. Contributing to the accident were the static wire, the partial loss of engine power due to propeller vibration, and the muddy field in which the forced landing was made.
Findings · 5
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 pilot reported that he did not observe any obstacles when he overflew the lake, but noted there was some bird activity in the vicinity. He performed a low altitude pass, approximately 100 feet above the lake, without incident. During a second low altitude pass, the pilot heard a "thump" noise which was immediately followed by a loss of engine power and engine vibration. A forced landing was made in a nearby muddy field, but the airplane nosed over shortly after touchdown. The airplane impacted a static wire that was strung across the lake. The wire, approximately 40 feet above the water, was part of two-wire power transmission line. The airplane's propeller had damage consistent with a wire strike.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he did not observe any obstacles when he overflew the lake, but noted there was some bird activity in the vicinity. He performed a low altitude pass, approximately 100 feet above the lake, without incident. During a second low altitude pass, the pilot heard a "thump" noise which was immediately followed by a loss of engine power and engine vibration. A forced landing was made in a nearby muddy field, but the airplane nosed over shortly after touchdown. The airplane impacted a static wire that was strung across the lake. The wire, approximately 40 feet above the water, was part of two-wire power transmission line. The airplane's propeller had damage consistent with a wire strike.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4726V
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG0370
- Airframe hours
- 9,768
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Langa Aircraft Resources, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 1, 2008
- Departed
- ALN · East Alton, IL
- Destination
- ALN · Litchfield, IL
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
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 175 total · 18 in this make and model · 142 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- ALN, 34 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.