Siai-Marchetti F.260C N14FD

Summary

On 17 April 1994 at about 23:50 local time, a Siai-Marchetti F.260C registered N14FD was involved in an accident near Watson, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 April 1994 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Watson, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

33.8909, -91.2499

Aircraft

Siai-Marchetti F.260C

Registration

N14FD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shreveport → West Memphis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW94FA123

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM WIRES DURING LOW LEVEL FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A SEVERED AILERON CABLE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE DURING THE FLIGHT AND HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE WIRE STRIKE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS FLYING LOW LEVEL BETWEEN TWO SPANS OF AN OPEN RAILROAD TRESTLE WHICH SPANNED THE ARKANSAS RIVER WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH WIRES MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TRESTLE. THE WIRE STRIKE RESULTED IN THE SEVERING OF THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE AND AN ENSUING LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LEADING, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, AND BURNED. THIS WAS A FLIGHT OF TWO AIR COMBAT DEMONSTRATION PILOTS REPOSITIONING TO THEIR HOME BASE. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NUMBER TWO. NUMEROUS WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANES FLYING AT 50 TO 200 FEET AGL, CHASING EACH OTHER WITH LITTLE SEPARATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.