Cessna 170A N9527A

Summary

On 21 September 2005 at about 23:50 local time, a Cessna 170A registered N9527A was involved in an accident near Ione, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 2005 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Ione, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.8069, -117.4053

Aircraft

Cessna 170A

Registration

N9527A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sullivan Lake → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA05LA198

1 person died.

The pilot's failure during low-level maneuvering flight, to maintain clearance from a pair of unmarked power lines. Factors include the pilot's intentional low altitude flight/maneuver and wires.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After arriving in the area of the accident, the pilot first flew to the north while low over the trees along the side of the Pend Oreille River. He then reversed course and headed to the south about 100 feet or less over the river. As he proceeded south over the river, the aircraft impacted a pair of unmarked power transmission wires that run across the river. Immediately upon contacting the power lines, the aircraft's pitch attitude rotated to a near vertical position, and it descended nearly straight down into the river. In less than two minutes after hitting the surface of the river, the aircraft sank in about 10 feet of water. It was later determined that the power lines were between 80 and 90 feet above the surface of the river. An inspection of the aircraft revealed wires had contacted the propeller, the lower portion of the fuselage just aft of the door frames, and the vertical stabilizer leading edge where it intersects the fuselage. Control continuity was established to the elevator, and there was no indication that there had been any anomaly associated with the engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.