NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2005 at 1520 eastern daylight time, a PiperJ3C-65, N6912H, an unregistered airplane operated by a private owner, struck power lines and collided with the ground in Yadkinville, North Carolina. The flight was operated under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan was not filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the student pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Mocksville, North Carolina, at an undetermined time on June 23, 2005.

According to witnesses, the airplane was observed maneuvering low along highway 601 and Huntsville Road, buzzing a worker on a tractor. While maneuvering low the airplane struck two transmission lines, one at 28 feet and one at 24 feet above the ground. According to the witnesses, it appeared that the pilot applied full power and the airplane pitched up dramatically. The power lines became tangled around the left wing, the airplane rolled inverted, came over the top and collided with the ground.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

A review of records on file with the Airmen Certification Branch, Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, revealed the pilot was issued a student pilots certificate on March 03, 2004. He was issued a third class medical certificate issued March 3, 2004, with no restrictions. The student pilot had accumulated over 1000 flight hours.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The last registration for the airplane on file with the Federal Aviation Administration was to a private owner on July 01, 1983. The airplane was sold in 1988 but was never re-registered to the new owner. There was no additional maintenance records in the Federal Aviation Administration data base after the sale of the airplane in 1988. The airplane had been modified with a Continental O-200 engine, but there is no record of the modification in the airplane records that are on file. The original certification of the airplane revealed that it was originally equipped with a Continental 65 horse power engine.

METEORLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1453, the Smith Reynolds Airport, Winston Salem, North Carolina weather reporting facility, located 10 miles north of the accident site, reported winds variable directions at four knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, few clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 29 degrees Celsius, and dew-point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed spar damage to the left wing. The aileron remained attached to left wing. The fabricated covering on the wing was shredded from there root to the wing tip. The right wing exhibited damage and the aileron remained attached. The engine was compressed below the fuselage and the engine firewall was buckled.

The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that all flight control surfaces were attached. Post-accident examination established continuity on all flight controls surfaces. The magnetos switch was found in the both position, the control column was in the full aft position, and the throttle was in the full forward position. Post-accident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical failure.

MEDICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Yadkin Country Medical Examiner, Yadkinville, North Carolina, performed the autopsy of the pilot on June 24, 2005. The reported cause of death of the pilot was "multiple traumatic injuries." A postmortem toxicology of specimens of the pilot was performed. The results were negative for ethanol.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots failure to maintain adequate clearance from object and inadequate visual look-out while maneuvering resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines.