- Date
- September 5, 2008, 17:38 local (21:38 UTC)
- Place
- Newberry, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N80MWCessna 185
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080905846389A
- Case key
- 68986
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 failure to maintain clearance from the wires on approach. Contributing to the accident was the sunshine, as reported by the pilot.
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 pilot reported that she was making a straight in visual flight rules (VFR) approach into an uncontrolled airport. The wind was from the west and she was heading toward the runway with the sun directly in her eyes. She thought she was on the final approach for the runway when the airplane hit electrical wires that were approximately 80 feet high. The pilot reported she added power and was able to climb to a safe altitude. She located the intended runway and landed the airplane without incident. The inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that she was making a straight-in visual-flight-rules approach into an uncontrolled airport, where she was heading toward the runway with the sun directly in her eyes. She thought she was on the final approach for the runway when the airplane hit electrical wires that were approximately 80 feet high. The pilot reported that she added power and was able to climb to a safe altitude. She located the intended runway and landed the airplane without incident. The inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80MW
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503092
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas B. Prior
- Registered owner
- Thomas B. Prior
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ANJ · Sault Ste Marie, MI
- Destination
- Newberry, MI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 337 total · 218 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N80MW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.