- Date
- June 9, 1994, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wamsutter, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N711LPMooney M20C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940609014669A
- Case key
- 41948
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
Clearance not maintained. A factor to the accident was: transmission wire.
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 while cruising at 200 to 300 feet above ground level and following an interstate highway, he noted a flock of birds in his path. The pilot descended in altitude and the airplane collided with two transmission wires that were approximately 23 feet above ground level.
Factual narrative
On June 9, 1994, at 0830 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N711LP, collided with transmission lines near Wamsutter, Wyoming. The pilot returned to Rawlins, Wyoming, and landed without further incident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured. The flight had departed from Rawlins and was en route to Rock Springs, Wyoming.
The pilot reported that while cruising at 200 to 300 feet above ground level and following an interstate highway, he noted a flock of birds in his path. The pilot descended in altitude and the airplane collided with two transmission wires that were approximately 23 feet above ground level.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N711LP
- Reported as
- Mooney M20C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2872
- Airframe hours
- 4,138
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard, Don M.
- Registered owner
- Don M. Howard,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 17, 1993 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- RWL · Rawlins, WY
- Destination
- RKS · Rock Springs, WY
- Airport
- RWL · Rawlins
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RWL, 36 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.