Jay, FL, USA
N84287
Cessna 172
The pilot was operating the airplane on a 40-mile repositioning flight. After takeoff, GPS data showed that the pilot flew over a river at a low altitude for several miles, at some points as low as 30 ft above ground level (agl). As the airplane approached a sharp bend in the river, the pilot briefly climbed a few hundred feet, then subsequently performed a left descending turn and descended back down to the river, following it at an altitudes between 100 and 200 ft agl for an additional 1.5 miles. The airplane subsequently struck power lines spanning the river about 60 ft agl, damaging the airplane’s propeller and wings. The airplane subequently impacted a sandbar and the airframe was substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation.
On August 13, 2019, at 1151 central daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N84287, was substantially damaged during impact with power lines and collision with terrain near Jay, Florida. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Brewton Aviation, LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a part 91 repositioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Brewton Municipal Airport (12J) Brewton, Alabama, about 1145 and was destined for Pensacola International Airport (PNS) Pensacola, Florida. The pilot worked for Brewton Aviation, LLC as a pipeline patrol pilot. The pilot was conducting his normal repositioning flight back to his home base in PNS, about 40 nm south of 12J; he was not conducting a pipeline patrol at the time of the accident. The Vice President of the company reported that he received a telephone call from local law enforcement about 1215 reporting that an emergency locator transmitter for the accident airplane was activated. Company witnesses stated the pilot departed 12J about 1145. The Vice President conducted his own aerial search for the accident airplane and found the injured pilot and the accident airplane inverted and damaged on a sandbar bordering the Escambia River near Jay, Florida, about 10 nm southwest of the departure airport. The airplane had struck transmission (power lines) that crossed over the river, then the airplane collided with the sandbar before coming to rest. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the pilot in the hospital and reported that the pilot stated he had no memory of the accident, but he remembered takeoff and lining up on final approach with the sandbar for an unknown issue; the pilot was unable to identify what the problem was. The pilot stated that he had performed pipeline patrol the previous day, but poor weather prevented him from flying to 12J to complete his post pipeline administrative task, so he flew to his home base in PNS for a night of rest. On the day of the accident, he departed PNS around 1000 and flew to 12J to complete the previous days administrative work, then returned to PNS because there was nothing else scheduled that day. When queried about the route he took to PNS, he remembered taking off from runway two-four and stated he normally climbs up to 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl). He did not recall any other specific details after takeoff through lining up for landing. He had flown this route many times and normally flew southwest to avoid the Whiting Field Naval Air Station North (NSE), Milton, Florida, airspace. When queried about the possibility of doing "sightseeing," he stated, "I wasn't ridiculously low," but could not provide any specific details. After his release from the hospital, about 1 week after the accident, a follow up telephone interview was conducted by a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator. The pilot requested that his father attend the interview and assist with questions due to his injuries. His father stated that his son had no memory of the flight or memory of the condition of the airplane during the flight, except for putting the airplane into a landing attitude. A handheld Garmin GPSmap 496 was recovered from the wreckage and forwarded to the NTSB for data download. GPS data were successfully downloaded and contained altitude, heading, airspeed, and position data (See Figure 1). Review of the data revealed that the flight departed runway 24 at PNS and climbed up to 250 ft msl before turning northwest and continued a climb up to 700 ft msl. The airplane made a climbing left turn to the south up to 900 ft msl before turning southwest on a heading of about 251° as it continued to climb up to 1,294 ft msl and 104 knots. The airplane then descended to 333 ft msl, when it made a left descending turn to about to 198°, where it arrived directly over the Escambia River at 76 ft msl and 92 knots. The airplane flew over the river for 1.5 miles at an altitude between 76 ft msl and 160 ft msl. The airplane briefly climbed up to 380 ft msl on a heading of about 205° at a sharp bend in the river, then made a climbing left turn to 485 ft msl, before descending to 368 ft msl on a heading of 301° where it rejoined the path of the river. The airplane continued to descend and follow the path of the river down to 117 ft msl, and 110 knots, about 700 ft before the power lines. Immediately before impact with the power lines, the airplane was at 105 ft msl, on a heading of about 228° at 87 knots. The last recorded altitude, airspeed, and heading data shows an altitude of 188 ft msl, airspeed of 57 knots and a heading of about 224°. From the moment the airplane became established directly over the river until impact with the power lines, it had flown over the river for about 4.5 nm. The elevation of the river at the power lines is about 45 ft msl and the power lines were about 60 ft above ground level. Figure 1. Altitude and Flight Track of Accident Flight According to FAA airmen records, the pilot held a commercial pilot and flight instructor certificate and had ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He was issued an FAA first class-class medical certificate on December 26, 2018. FAA review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had 1,012 hours total time, with 798 in the accident airplane make and model. In the last 90 days, he accumulated 407 hours total time. According to FAA records, the airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate in the normal category on June 24, 1969. It was a four-place, externally braced high-wing airplane, that was equipped with fixed tricycle landing gear, and a Lycoming O-320-E2D, 160-horsepower engine driving a two-blade metal fixed pitch propeller. The weather conditions reported at NSE, located about 20 miles south of the accident site, at 1156 included wind variable at 3 knots, visibility 1 1/2 statue mile and rain, scattered clouds at 2,500 ft, temperature 32° C, dew point 27° C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane was inverted. The flaps were in the stowed position. Both wings were severely deformed, the nose landing gear was sheared off, the main landing gear was bent aft, and there were multiple fractures and buckling along the length of the fuselage. The propeller spinner was uniformly crushed and one of the propeller blades exhibited s-bending and had multiple areas of polishing and scuff marks consistent with impact with the transmission power line. The opposing blade was slightly bent, and the tip of the blade contained a gouge. In addition, there were multiple indications on the left leading edge of the wing where contract was made with a powerline that was severed during the impact. Additional examination of the wreckage showed both cockpit control yoke handles were attached to the control column. The aileron control cables exhibited signs of tensile overload, but were traced to their respective locations and were connected. All the control cables were attached to their respective control surfaces to the rudder, elevator and ailerons and control continuity was confirmed. Engine drivetrain continuity was established, and the intake valves and exhaust valves on all four cylinders were functional. Thumb compression was present on all four cylinders, and internal examination using a borescope revealed no anomalies. The top spark plugs were examined, and the electrodes appeared normal; the No. 1 spark plug was oily. Both magnetos were functional and produced healthy spark from all leads. There were no anomalies discovered with the engine or engine components. FAA regulations (14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.119) prohibit operation of an aircraft less than 500 feet above the surface in uncongested areas unless approaching to land or taking off, and at least 1,000 feet from obstacles in congested areas. Additionally, 14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.13 prohibit operations in a reckless manner that endanger the life or property of another. The Advisory Circular (AC No. 70/7460-1L) sets forth standards for marking and lighting obstructions that have been deemed to be a hazard to navigable airspace and according to the AC, markers were not required on the power lines. The VFR Aeronautical Chart at the site of the accident is represented with a "power transmission Line" symbol.
The pilot's improper decision to fly over a river at a very low altitude, which resulted in a collision with power lines.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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