NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 31, 2012, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped, Bellanca 7GCBC airplane, N57511, sustained substantial damage during an impact with terrain, following a collision with a high tension power cable spanning a river, about 12 miles southeast of Homer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight, under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Marginal visual meteorological (MVFR) conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. No flight plan was filed, and there is no record that a weather briefing was obtained. The flight originated about 1450 from the Beluga Lake Seaplane Base, Homer.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 4, a family member said the pilot was to ferry camping gear from Homer, to a remote lake southeast of Homer, and then return and pick up a passenger. After taking off to ferry the camping gear the airplane did not return to Homer.

INJURIES TO PERSONS

The solo pilot received fatal injuries.

DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT

The airplane received substantial damage to its fuselage and wings.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot age 66, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, and airplane single-engine sea. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate with limitations to wear corrective lenses on February 15, 2011.

No personal flight records were discovered for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from a review of the airman’s FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center in Oklahoma City. On the pilot’s last application for medical certificate, dated February 15, 2011, he indicated that his total aeronautical experience consisted of about 2000 hours, of which 40 were accrued in the previous 6 months.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Bellanca 7GCBC, N57511, manufactured in 1973, and equipped with a Lycoming O-320 series engine.

No airframe or engine logbooks were discovered for examination, and the airplane was not recovered for further examination.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Marginal meteorological conditions prevailed in Homer at the time of the airplane’s departure.

The closest official weather observation station was at the departure airport, Homer (PAHO), about 10 miles northwest of the accident site. At 1453, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind 230 degrees (true) at 3 knots; visibility 3 statute miles with light rain; sky condition, scattered at 400 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet; temperature 46 degrees F; dew point, 46 degrees F; altimeter 29.72 inHg.

COMMUNICATIONS

After departing Homer no communications were heard from the accident airplane, and no air traffic control services were requested.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

During an on-site inspection of the airplane’s wreckage on September 1, the NTSB IIC noted that the terrain was a braided river valley, with steep rising terrain on the southwest side of the river, and gently sloping terrain on the northeast side of the river. Multiple high tension power cables were draped across the river from the high terrain on the southwest side, to the near level terrain on the northeast side of the river. One cable was severed and laying on the ground. The severed power line had large, orange, power line marking balls attached. The other intact power lines spanning the river were also marked with large orange power line marking balls.

The airplane was located in shallow water on a sandbar near the center of the braided river. It had impacted in a nose-low near vertical descent (60 plus degrees down). The wings were straight with wrinkling near both tips. The fuselage was broken and bent 90 degrees aft of the cabin. The empennage was intact. The vertical stabilizer had a large impact divot about mid-span of the leading edge that did not appear to be associated with terrain impact damage. Control continuity was established for all the flight controls.

The propeller blades showed torsional twisting and severe leading edge gouging, consistent with power at the time of terrain impact.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

A postmortem examination of the pilot was done under the authority of the Alaska State Medical Examiner, Anchorage, Alaska, on September 4, 2012. The examination revealed that the cause of death was attributed to severe blunt force injuries.

A toxicological examination by the FAA’s Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) on November 1, 2012, was negative for any alcohol or drugs.

ADDITIONAL DATA/INFORMATION

FAR 91.103 describes the pilot-in-command's preflight duties, and most pilots are intimately familiar with its wording: "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight."

The Seward Sectional Aeronautical Chart, which covers the Homer area and the accident site, shows the electrical transmission lines crossing the river en route to the destination lake.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to see and avoid high tension power lines.