- Date
- June 19, 2014, 20:49 local (Jun 20, 2014, 02:49 UTC)
- Place
- Caldwell, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Post-impact
- Aircraft
- N234BSCosmos Phase II Phase II 582
- Defining event
- Post-impact: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140619010789I
- Case key
- 89493
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 monitor the environment and to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines during low altitude flight.
Findings · 3
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 his weight-shift control trike at low altitude when it struck power lines. Subsequently, the trike descended to the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the structural tubing. The pilot further stated that his smoke colored visor attached to his helmet prevented him from clearly seeing the power lines. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was flying his weight-shift control trike at low altitude when it struck power lines. Subsequently, the trike descended to the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the structural tubing. The pilot further stated that his smoke colored visor attached to his helmet prevented him from clearly seeing the power lines. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N234BS
- Reported as
- Cosmos Phase II Phase II 582 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A58BRS
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Caldwell, ID
- Destination
- Caldwell, 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 40 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KEUL
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.