- Date
- March 16, 1997, 18:36 local (Mar 17, 1997, 00:36 UTC)
- Place
- Manchaca, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6320ECessna 172
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970317003249A
- Case key
- 20170
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 continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance. A factor was the weather condition.
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 noninstrument-rated private pilot stated that he 'was scud-running and hit [a] power line in clouds.' According to a witness, the airplane flew over his house, collided with a power line, and then rolled inverted before impacting the ground. Seventeen minutes prior to the accident, at a weather reporting station 12 nautical miles from the accident site, the ceiling was 300 feet overcast with a visibility of 2 statute miles in light rain and mist.
Factual narrative
On March 16, 1997, at 1836 central standard time, a Cessna 172, N6320E, registered to and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91, was destroyed when it collided with a power line during cruise flight near Manchaca, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight that departed Austin, Texas, en route to San Marcos, Texas, about 15 minutes prior to the accident. A flight plan was not filed.
The pilot reported that he "was scud-running and hit [a] power line in clouds." According to a witness, who was interviewed by an FAA inspector, the airplane's engine was operating normally when the airplane flew over his house, collided with the power line, and then rolled inverted before impacting the ground. The FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the outboard section of the right wing was severed and the cabin top had separated from the fuselage.
The following weather conditions were reported at 1819 for Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin, Texas, located 12 nautical miles north of the accident site: Wind 040 at 5 knots, visibility 2 statute miles in light rain and mist, ceiling 300 feet overcast, temperature 10 degrees C, dewpoint 10 degrees C, altimeter setting 30.17 inches of mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6320E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46420
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark E. Rutledge
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Austin, TX
- Destination
- San Marcos, TX
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 12 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.