- Date
- March 30, 2016, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Long Island, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4212BBeech F35
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Charlotte FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20160330002329A
- Case key
- 92945
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 decision to maneuver at low altitude, which resulted in a collision with power lines and substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
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
The pilot reported that during the initial climb, he leveled off at about 65 feet above the ground and made a right turn to follow a river. After maneuvering down the river for about one minute, the airplane struck uncharted and unmarked power lines that spanned across the entire length of the river. He reported that the impact from the power lines cracked the windscreen and damaged the vertical stabilizer, but aircraft control was not affected and he was able to continue to the destination airport about 3 nautical miles away. The pilot further reported that he never saw the power lines that the airplane impacted, but he did observe larger charted power lines about one mile ahead. The left vertical stabilizer was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the initial climb, he leveled off at about 65 feet above the ground and made a right turn to follow a river. After maneuvering down the river for about one minute, the airplane struck uncharted and unmarked power lines that spanned across the entire length of the river. He reported that the impact from the power lines cracked the windscreen and damaged the vertical stabilizer, but aircraft control was not affected and he was able to continue to the destination airport about 3 nautical miles away. The pilot further reported that he never saw the power lines that the airplane impacted, but he did observe larger charted power lines about one mile ahead. The left vertical stabilizer was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4212B
- Reported as
- Beech F35 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-4157
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 7,068.7
- Engine
- Continental E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2016
- Departed
- NC26 · Long Island, NC
- Destination
- 14A · Mooresville, NC
- Airport
- NC26 · Long Island, runway 05, 3,000 × 100 ft
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 28,341 total · 4,062 in this make and model · 13,950 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KSVH, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.
Other investigations on N4212B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.