- Date
- July 18, 1991, 19:45 local (Jul 19, 1991, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Patterson, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N23142Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910718028999A
- Case key
- 27297
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-in-command's improper visual lookout in a descent at low altitude, resulting in an in flight collision with wires and subsequent in flight collision with terrain.
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 and his passenger were flying in the vicinity of a river and a pond trying to locate stray cattle. They were flying at about 400 feet above the ground when the passenger thought he spotted something at the north end of a pond. Not being able to identify the object, they began a descent to try to identify the object. During descent the aircraft collided with electrical transmission wires. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted the water in the pond. They said that they did not see the wires or supporting poles. An FAA safety inspector reported that 3 wires had been broken. The poles are on land and they are approximately 1,140 feet apart.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23142
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2923
- Engine
- Continental C85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael Mahaffey
- Registered owner
- Michael Mahaffey
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- CA67 · Westley, CA
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 508 total · 50 in this make and model · 443 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.