- Date
- March 10, 2012, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Orleans, VT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N738QFCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120310002719A
- Case key
- 83114
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 a power line while conducting low-altitude flight.
Findings · 2
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 stated that he was conducting a scenic flight when he descended to about 100 feet above ground level to observe the landscape below. The airplane struck a power line, resulting in substantial damage to the windscreen, vertical stabilizer, and left wing strut. The pilot landed the airplane uneventfully at a nearby airport. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was conducting a scenic flight when he descended to approximately 100 feet above ground level to observe the landscape below. The airplane struck a power line, resulting in substantial damage to the windscreen, vertical stabilizer, and left wing strut. The pilot landed the airplane uneventfully at a nearby airport. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738QF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270149
- Airframe hours
- 6,368
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Aviation Management Services Inc, doing business as North Ramp Aviation
- Registered owner
- Aviation Management Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 2, 2012
- Departed
- EFK · Newport, VT
- Destination
- EFK · Newport, VT
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
- 33
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 23, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 152 total · 147 in this make and model · 58 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- EFK, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.