- Date
- March 16, 1994, 19:55 local (Mar 17, 1994, 02:55 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8933NPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940316005549A
- Case key
- 19013
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 CFI rated second pilot's failure to maintain the ILS glideslope. A factor was the dark night and lack of supervision.
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
During a dark night ILS approach, being flown by the CFI rated passenger, the aircraft struck a set of power lines 200 yards from the approach end of the runway. This was the fourth approach to runway 22 when the wire strike occurred. Following the initial wire contact the CFI applied power in an attempt to clear them. Following the application of power the airplane veered left and struck a second set of wires and descended to ground impact. The pic/owner reported that the airplane was two dots low on the ILS glideslope just prior to the wire strike.
Factual narrative
On March 16, 1994, at 1955 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32- 300, was substantially damaged during an ILS approach at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The private pilot/owner and flight instructor (CFI) sustained minor injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.
In a written report submitted by the pilot he stated that during the fourth approach, on short final to the Double Eagle airport, the aircraft struck a set of marked power lines containing three wires. He further reported that when the wire strike occurred the CFI applied power in an attempt to clear them. Following the application of power the airplane veered left and struck a second set of power lines.
The pilot in command (PIC) stated in his written report that at the time of the accident the CFI was operating the controls of the airplane. The PIC also reported that the airplane was two dots low on the ILS just prior to the collision.
An inspection of the scene by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane struck the wires 200 yards from the approach end of the runway. The inspection revealed that the power lines were marked by orange balls; however, there were no markings applied that could identify the wires at night.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8933N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40733
- Airframe hours
- 2,893
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stabler, William L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 8, 1994 · 47 hours before
- Airport
- AEG · Double Eagle, runway 22, 7,398 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 500 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 11 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.