- Date
- February 25, 1990, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Milliken, CO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4053HPiper PA-12-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900225002849A
- Case key
- 17821
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 poor judgement, intentional buzzing, and failure to see and avoid the obstruction (inadequate visual lookout). Factors related to the accident were: the power line and the absence of shoulder harnesses in the aircraft.
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 plt & his wife were on a local flt. Witnesses observed the acft flying below the tree tops over the south platte river. One witness rprtd the acft's wheels were skimming the water. Just before the acdnt, the acft was observed to pull up. However, it hit the top set of 3 wires, then crashed. The plt's wife survived the acdnt, but she received a severe head injury. The acft was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. The plt had no useful vision in his right eye, but possessed a medical waiver (statement of demonstrated ability) for this condition.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4053H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3481
- Airframe hours
- 2,528
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sheeon, Guy D
- Registered owner
- Sheeon, Guy D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 18, 1989
- Departed
- 48V · Erie, CO
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 885 total · 481 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Observed at
- FCL, 16 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.
Other investigations on N4053H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.