- Date
- February 15, 2008, 16:30 local (Feb 16, 2008, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Duncan Mills, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N30581Steven Hardie AIR CAM
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080215010139A
- Case key
- 67549
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 clearance with power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to fly at low altitude and the sun glare condition.
Findings · 5
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 he was flying at a low altitude over a river into hazy conditions and looking directly into the setting sun. The pilot stated that as he was preparing to turn to miss a flock of birds the airplane impacted a set of transmission wires, which severed the airframe's wing support structures. The impact with the wires forced the airplane to a lower altitude and under a bridge in the airplane's flight path. After flying under the bridge and exiting on the opposite side, the airplane impacted a second set of transmission wires with the airplane's landing gear legs. The pilot then made a successful forced landing on a river gravel bar and came to rest upright. A witness, who was camping nearby, observed the airplane flying about 20 to 40 feet above the river before going out of sight. The witness reported, "Approximately 5 seconds later I heard a 'large impact,' followed by an electrical discharge sound and the power going out at the campground."
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was flying at a low altitude over a river into hazy conditions and looking directly into the setting sun. The pilot stated that as he was preparing to divert to miss a flock of birds the airplane impacted a set of transmission wires, which struck and severed the airframe's wing support structures. The impact with the wires forced the airplane to a lower altitude and under a bridge in the airplane's flight path. After flying under the bridge and exiting on the opposite side, the airplane impacted a second set of transmission wires with the airplane's landing gear legs. The pilot stated that he then elected to make a forced landing on a river gravel bar; the airplane landed without incident and came to rest upright. A witness, who was camping nearby, observed the airplane flying about 20 to 40 feet above the river before going out of sight. The witness reported, "Approximately 5 seconds later I heard a 'large impact,' followed by an electrical discharge sound and the power going out at the campground."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30581
- Reported as
- Steven Hardie AIR CAM
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- AC0096
- Engines
- Rotax 912 ULS, reciprocatingRotax 912 ULS, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph M Perez
- Registered owner
- Steven L. Hardie
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- STS · Santa Rosa, 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,774 total · 84 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.