- Date
- November 14, 2004, 16:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place
- Delaware, OH
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGSyreini Hipps J3 Kitten
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Columbus
- Case key
- 60561
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 failure to maintain adequate altitude, which resulted in an in-flight collision with wires.
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 reported that he was in cruise flight, when he elected to descend and fly over a reservoir. During the descent, the airplane struck unmarked power lines, that stretched about 60 to 80 feet, over the water. The airplane then descended vertically, and impacted the water.
Factual narrative
On November 14, 2004, about 1605 eastern standard time, a homebuilt unregistered Hipps J3 Kitten, was substantially damaged, when it struck wires and impacted water while maneuvering near Delaware, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight, when he observed the north end of the Alum Creek Reservoir. He then elected to descend and fly over the water. During the descent, the airplane struck unmarked power lines, that stretched about 60 to 80 feet, over the water. The pilot added "I saw the wires only an instant before I hit them."
After striking the wires, the airplane descended vertically, and impacted the water.
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Syreini Hipps J3 Kitten
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- Unknown
- Engine
- Rotax 503 DCDI, 46 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark B. Murphy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- NONE · Mt. Gilead, OH
- Airport
- NONE · None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 29, 2004
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 843 total · 0 in this make and model · 817 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.69 inHg
- Observed at
- CMH, 17 nm away