FTW97FA097

During a pre-solo dual instructional flight in the traffic pattern, the Cessna 152 impacted a power line 1.5 nautical miles (nm) south of the non-towered airport. A witness observed the Cessna flying over runway 16 and, approximately one minute later, observed a twin engine turboprop MU-2 land on runway 34. This witness reported that before the MU-2 exited the runway, the electricity went off at the airport. Witnesses south of the airport reported seeing/hearing a small single engine airplane reduce power, descend low over their houses, and continue south. A witness southwest of the airport heard a twin engine airplane heading northeast, and approximately 30 seconds later, observed the Cessna impact the power line. A 911 call reporting the accident was recorded at 1749, and an electrical power outage was recorded at 1750. These times could not be correlated with radar data, which indicated that, at 1749, the Cessna was 1/4 nm northeast of the airport on a left base for runway 16, while the MU-2 was 5 nm northeast of the airport. Since no further radar returns were recorded for the Cessna, it was not possible to ascertain whether an imminent collision threat occurred between the Cessna and the MU-2. Post-accident examination of the Cessna revealed no evidence of mechanical discrepancies. The sun set at 1756 on a heading of 238 degrees from the airport, indicating the Cessna pilots would have had to look into the setting sun to see the power line, which was located west of the extended centerline of runway 16.

History of flight

On January 31, 1997, at 1750 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N5366B, was destroyed following impact with a static wire near Guthrie, Oklahoma. The airline transport rated flight instructor and the student pilot were both fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Seward Leasing, Inc., and operated by Crabtree Aircraft Co. under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight which originated from Guthrie Municipal Airport at approximately 1715. No flight plan had been filed.

Witnesses reported to the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) that the Cessna 152 was on a training flight to "prepare the student for his solo ride." The flight school owner reported to the IIC that the pilots had been making takeoffs and landings on runway 16. Witnesses stated that they "believed that [N5366] Bravo had completed 4 to 5 touch-and-goes before the accident occurred."

Another flight instructor reported to the IIC that he and his student had landed at Guthrie Municipal Airport at approximately 1740. He stated that when they were approaching Guthrie's landing pattern, he spoke to the flight instructor in N5366B on his airplane's radio. He further stated that while he was taxiing back to the FBO office he heard the flight instructor making his traffic pattern radio calls while on downwind. A witness who services airplanes at Guthrie Municipal Airport reported to the IIC that he remembers seeing the flight instructor "at the dispatch log carrying his headset with him as he always did before a flight." The witness further reported that he "recalls hearing the flight instructor's transmission on the radio when he was on downwind for runway 16 and his student make a second radio call for downwind runway 16."

A witness who was standing in the lobby of the FBO (witness area one, see attached witness location chart) reported to the IIC that he observed N5366B flying over Runway 16 "at about an altitude of 300 or so feet in a nose low attitude. After I saw the Cessna, it was probably about no longer than one minute when I noticed a large twin prop MU-2 that had landed on runway 34, and before it had cleared the runway I noticed that the electricity went off in the airport." This witness further reported that he was approximately 10 feet from the FBO UNICOM radio and did "not recall any radio traffic from the pilot of the MU-2 from the UNICOM radio in the FBO." Another witness, who was airborne and approaching Guthrie Municipal Airport at approximately 1750, reported to the IIC that he was monitoring Guthrie's Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF--122.8) "with the volume turned up and at no time did he hear any traffic announcing for runway 34 at Guthrie."

The airplane observed by the witness in the FBO lobby was a Mitsubishi MU-2B-36A, N338CM. It was arriving from a cross-country flight which had originated from Lansing Municipal Airport near Chicago, Illinois, approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes before the event.

The flight school's chief flight instructor, other flight instructors employed by the school, and several of the flight instructor's current students reported to the IIC that the flight instructor always followed the FAA approved flight school procedures for the traffic pattern and the use of the airplane's check list which included the use of the airplane's flashing beacon and its strobe lights. The above individuals further reported that the flight instructor always had his headset with him and to the best of their knowledge, he always used it.

A witness in area two who was inside preparing dinner, heard what he believed was a single engine airplane flying normally, "then whoosh (kicked back the throttle), then chug, chug." The witness reported to the IIC that "a few moments later a second airplane, a double (double sound) and sounded strong (had it cranked up for approach) came by, banked hard left [and] headed for the airport." Another witness in area two who was in the yard hanging clothes reported to the IIC that she "saw a small craft flying southeast over her property; sounded like something was cutting out or throttling back."

Another witness in area two who was in her yard talking to her neighbor reported to the IIC that she saw a small airplane flying overhead (very low) and the engine was "chugging; then it flew towards the Interstate." She stated that "the sound had just gone out of my hearing range when the bigger airplane flew overhead going in the other direction (towards the airport). It sounded fine, but loud." The neighbor reported to the IIC that a "bigger than normal airplane (two engines) flew towards the airport, very low and very loud." This witness also pointed out to the IIC the twin engine airplane's route of flight, which was measured by the IIC as a magnetic course of 320 degrees.

Another witness in area two reported to the IIC that she and her husband were sitting in their living room watching TV, and she "heard a very loud small engine plane overhead (I ducked)." She reported that the plane became "quieter" as it flew south of the property. "Shortly later another small plane came in to land; it sounded healthier-stronger, quicker." This witness further reported to the IIC that "we were certain the second plane had to have seen the first."

Two other witnesses who were inside their home in area three (see attached witness location chart) reported that "they heard an airplane very low (under stress) real loud (rattled the walls). It went by very slow (working hard) going south." They reported to the IIC that they hear a lot of airplanes where they live and they believed that this was a single-engine airplane. In the front yard of the same house was a visiting friend who reported to the IIC that a "small plane flew very low right above the house. It sounded like a buzz-saw passing by and I at first thought it was going to hit the house. I ducked down thinking it might do just that." This witness further stated that "I remember it sounding so very loud, because it was so close."

The witness in area four reported to the IIC that she heard "a small airplane with the power coming off, sounded like a stall, like they practice out here all the time." She stated that she then heard "a loud power coming on (jet engines) and she couldn't hear the little guy anymore."

The witness in area five reported to the IIC that approximately 10 minutes before 6, he "was in the shop and heard a different deeper sound (maybe two engines - noise wave discrepancies), very loud, like a 454 straight pipe engine [automotive]." He further reported that he then walked out the backdoor and could hear the "noise wave discrepancies fading towards the airport." He stated to the IIC that "he walked over a few more steps and saw a small airplane equal to the top of the large highway sign (see photographs). It started to bank left, but then nosed down kinda drastic like (simultaneously I saw sparks). The airplane then nosed down steeply and disappeared."

The witness in area six reported to the IIC that she "was driving north on Sooner Rd. (old 77), at approximated 10 minutes before 6, when I observed a two engine airplane, bigger than what I usually see in this area. It was very low and very loud." She reported that she "first saw it coming towards me from the northwest and it was in a left turn (tipped left); I last saw it turning Northeast."

One of several witnesses in area seven reported to the IIC that she was driving north on Interstate 35 when "suddenly there was an airplane right in front of her flying very low just above the cars." She stated that "he went right (west) and then left (southwest); next he hit the ground." Another witness in area seven reported that "I saw a small (private) plane circle low over the highway, heading first towards the east and then circling towards the south until it was ali