- Date
- October 5, 1994, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Carbondale, IL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N66224Cessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941005033379A
- Case key
- 9772
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 inadequate visual lookout, and improper altitude.
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 pilot reported he and a passenger were flying over a local lake looking at the fall foliage, when the airplane struck an unseen powerline and crashed into the lake. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying very low over the lake, climb slightly and strike the powerline. The height of the powerline was approximately 50 feet above the lake.
Factual narrative
On October 5, 1994, about 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 150 airplane, N66224, sustained substantial damage following an in-flight collision with a powerline near Carbondale, Illinois. The private pilot and the sole passenger aboard reported minor injuries. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan.
The pilot reported they were flying over Cedar lake looking at the fall foliage colors when the airplane struck an unseen power line and crashed into Cedar Lake.
Witnesses reported the airplane had been flying at a very low altitude over the lake, appeared to climb slightly and struck the powerline. The height of the powerline was approximately 50 feet above the lake.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66224
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15075932
- Airframe hours
- 7,646
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George W. Slover
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 16, 1994 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- PJY · Pinckneyville, 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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 265 total · 92 in this make and model · 128 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
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 N66224 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.