SEA94LA020

When the pilot returned to land at the private grass airstrip, there was a crosswind blowing across the more commonly used north/south runway. He therefore chose to land on the less frequently used east/west runway. He knew that there were power lines off the aproach end of this runway, but he did not see them in the low light of dusk. The aircraft impacted the lines and crashed in an open field off the end of the runway.

On October 26, 1993, approximately 1725 Pacific daylight time (PDT), an Aero Commander AC-100-180, N3723X, collided with a power line while attempting to land at Fairways Airport, Oregon City, Oregon. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received serious injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The local pleasure flight, which had departed the same airport about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT, which had been activated by the impact, was turned off at the scene.

According to the pilot, when he returned to land there was a gusty crosswind to the more commonly used north/south runway. He made a low pass over that runway to check the wind, and then decided to land on the less frequently used east/west runway. He said that he knew there were power lines just off the approach end of the easterly runway that he chose to land on, but he felt it was still the best runway to land on because of the winds.

While on final, the pilot thought he was too high, so he added flaps to a total of 20 degrees, and looked for the power line in the dimming light of dusk. He said that he did not see the line, and the last thing he remembered was that his windshield seemed to explode in his face. After impacting the power line, the aircraft crashed in an open field just off the end of the runway.