- Date
- May 28, 2015, 12:25 local (18:25 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Junction, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6175CAero Vodochody L39
- Defining event
- Enroute: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150528007389A
- Case key
- 91257
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 inadequate preflight planning and subsequent failure to remain clear of power line wires while maneuvering at low altitude.
Findings · 3
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
According to the pilot, while flying over a river at an altitude of about 100 feet above water and ground level, at 250 knots, the airplane impacted unmarked power line wires that spanned the river. The power line wires are clearly identified on the Visual Flight Rules Sectional Aeronautical Chart. The pilot immediately established a climb and returned to the airport without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose, left wing, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while flying over a river at an altitude of about 100 feet above water and ground level, at 250 knots, the airplane impacted unmarked power line wires that spanned the river. The power line wires are clearly identified on the Visual Flight Rules Sectional Aeronautical Chart. The pilot immediately established a climb and returned to the airport without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose, left wing, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6175C
- Reported as
- Aero Vodochody L39 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 432942
- Built
- 1984
- Engine
- Ivchenko AI-25TL, 3,800 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 9, 2014 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- GJT · Grand Junction, CO
- Destination
- GCK · Garden City, KS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 5, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,944.8 total · 458.6 in this make and model · 2,902.5 as pilot in command · 135.6 in the last 90 days · 94.5 in the last 30 days · 37 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- GJT, 12 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.9 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.