- Date
- February 20, 1999, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rexburg, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N28123Piper J-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990220001599A
- Case key
- 45841
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 from power lines.
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
While flying over a friend's house, the airplane struck a set of power lines. After striking the power lines, the pilot attempted to land in a nearby field, due to extensive damage to the aircraft's rudder. The aircraft's right main gear collapsed during the forced landing. The power lines were approximately 35 feet above the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft prior to colliding with the power lines.
Factual narrative
On February 20, 1999, about 1330 mountain standard time, a Piper J-5A, N28123, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR 91 pleasure flight, was substantially damaged after colliding with power lines near Rexburg, Idaho. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private pilot was not injured. There was no fire and no report of an ELT actuating. The flight originated from the Rexburg-Madison County Airport, Rexburg, Idaho, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.
During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he struck a set of power lines while flying over a friend's house. The pilot stated he did not see the power lines until it was too late to avoid them. After striking the power lines, the pilot attempted to land in a nearby field, due to extensive damage to the aircraft's rudder. The aircraft's right main landing gear collapsed during the forced landing. The power lines were approximately 35 feet above the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft prior to colliding with the power lines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28123
- Reported as
- Piper J-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5-109
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Barrick, Roger S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1998
- Departed
- RXE · ID
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 460 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.