- Date
- May 10, 1995, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Casa, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N34628Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950510010919A
- Case key
- 19412
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 obstacle clearance.
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 stated that he was 'well aware' of the unmarked high voltage transmission line located 850 feet south of the private airstrip. While on final approach to land on runway 33, the airplane's landing gear contacted one of the upper shield wires on the transmission line. The airplane then fell to the ground coming to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On May 10, 1995, at 1100 central daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N34628, was substantially damaged during approach near Casa, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane departed Russellville, Arkansas, at 1040 CDT for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The pilot stated that he was familiar with the private airstrip and "well aware" of the high voltage transmission line which is located 850 feet south of the approach end of runway 33 and runs from east to west. He further stated that he was on final approach to land on runway 33 when he "saw too late the smaller shield wires on top of the transmission lines." At approximately 120 feet above ground level, the airplane's landing gear contacted one of these two upper non-current carrying wires. The airplane then fell to the ground coming to rest inverted. There were no aerial marking balls installed on the transmission line.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34628
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17701909
- Airframe hours
- 3,815
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph P. Dawson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 1994 · 57 hours before
- Departed
- M06 · Russellville, AR
- Airport
- NONE · None
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
- 70
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,119 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.