- Date
- October 17, 2011, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grantham, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N25WSFehlner-Shelton Aerosport Scamp WTB1
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111017024969A
- Case key
- 82112
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 clearance from unmarked power lines while on approach to land at a private airport.
Findings · 4
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 had completed two approaches to the private grass airstrip without incident. During the third approach, the airplane struck unmarked power lines located just prior to the approach end of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the underside of its fuselage, rudder and both wings. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The runway previously had a marked, 670-foot displaced threshold to compensate for the power lines. The airport manager reported that the displaced threshold markings were made of wood and had deteriorated over a period of years.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he had completed two previous approaches to the private grass airstrip without incident. During the third approach, the airplane struck unmarked power lines located just prior to the approach end of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the underside of its fuselage, rudder and both wings. The pilot stated that the he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the runway previously contained a marked 670-foot displaced threshold to compensate for the power lines. The airport manager reported that the markings were made of wood and had deteriorated away over years.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25WS
- Reported as
- Fehlner-Shelton Aerosport Scamp WTB1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 75-02
- Airframe hours
- 95
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1834cc, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 1, 2011 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- 6NC0 · Grantham, NC
- Destination
- 6NC0 · Grantham, NC
- Airport
- 6NC0 · Cox-Grantham Airfield, runway 21, 2,800 × 54 ft, grass/turf
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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 30, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 698 total · 6 in this make and model · 649 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 180 °F, dew point 124 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- GSB, 11 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 21, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.