SEA99LA059

On April 10, 1999, approximately 1310 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172D, N2650U, struck power lines crossing the Snake River west of Glenns Ferry, Idaho, while on a 14 CFR 91 personal flight from Mountain Home, Idaho, to Jackpot, Nevada. The aircraft was substantially damaged in the strike, losing approximately one-third of its vertical stabilizer and half of its rudder, but the aircraft was able to return to Mountain Home and land without further incident. There were no injuries to the private pilot-in-command, a second private pilot who was flying the aircraft from the right front seat at the time of the power line strike, or two rear-seat passengers aboard the aircraft. The pilot-in-command reported to the NTSB that weather was clear at the time, and that no flight plan was filed for the flight.

The pilots reported that the second pilot (who reported 105.5 total civil flight hours) had rented the aircraft and was flying the aircraft from the right front seat at the time of the accident, with the pilot-in-command (who reported 105.2 total civil flight hours to the NTSB, and who had made the takeoff) occupying the left front seat of the aircraft. Both pilots had current flight reviews and medical certificates; however, according to copies of pilot logbooks furnished by both pilots, the left-seat pilot was the only pilot who met the 14 CFR 61 recency-of-experience requirements for passenger carriage (the right-seat pilot had logged no flight time since October 1998.) The pilots reported that their route of flight followed the Snake River in an easterly direction. Both pilots reported that as the aircraft was flying down the river, the right-seat pilot asked for permission to take control of the aircraft and the left seat pilot allowed him to do so. The pilots reported that just prior to the wire strike, one of the rear-seat passengers saw a coyote on the side of the river and all the aircraft occupants turned to look at it (the right-seat pilot reported he did not turn the aircraft around to circle the area, but decided to continue along the river.)

The left-seat pilot reported that he then directed his attention back to the front of the aircraft and saw that the aircraft was flying toward some unmarked wires that crossed the river, and warned the flying (right-seat) pilot. The pilots reported that the flying pilot reacted to the warning by pulling back on the yoke (the right-seat pilot stated he only saw "the bottom wire", but that the left-seat pilot then noticed wires above the aircraft.) The left-seat pilot stated that it "became apparent to me that [pulling back on the yoke] was going to lead us directly into the wires so I pushed the yolk [sic] forward." The pilots reported that the aircraft then struck the cable, but control of the aircraft was maintained. The pilots reported they then climbed to approximately 3,000 feet above ground level, performed a stability check and simulated a landing; the right-seat pilot reported that during these checks, the aircraft "seemed to be reacting to the controls except for a little yaw to the left." The pilots then returned to Mountain Home Municipal Airport and landed without further incident. The aircraft's owner/operator subsequently reported the accident to the FAA on April 29, 1999.

The Salt Lake City Sectional Aeronautical Chart, 60th Edition (November 5, 1998) depicts a power line crossing over the Snake River approximately 2 1/2 nautical miles west of the Glenns Ferry, Idaho, airport. According to terrain relief depiction on the sectional chart, terrain elevation at the location of this power line crossing is 2,750 feet above sea level or less. The Glenns Ferry airport, which is located along the river bank, is 2,536 feet above sea level.