American Champion 8GCBC N885AC

Summary

On 14 February 2011 at about 16:55 local time, a American Champion 8GCBC registered N885AC was involved in an accident near Soda Springs, Idaho, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 February 2011 at 16:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Soda Springs, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

42.6872, -111.0586

Aircraft

American Champion 8GCBC

Registration

N885AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Afton → Afton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11LA137

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude in a valley.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while flying in a valley at an altitude between 200 to 300 feet above ground level (agl), he obtained visual contact with a set of high tension power lines that were perpendicular to his location. He determined that the airplane was at a high enough altitude to maintain clearance from the wires and initiated a slight climb to gain extra clearance. Shortly thereafter, the airplane struck the high tension power lines and subsequently impacted a snow covered field, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe. Recorded data retrieved from a handheld GPS (global positioning system) revealed that during the last eight minutes of the accident flight, the altitude of the airplane varied between 18 and 384 feet agl. The last recorded data point prior to the power lines showed the airplane at an altitude of about 137 feet agl. Representatives from the electrical company reported that the airplane struck one of the three static wires that were dull gray in color, located about 81 feet above the ground. The representative stated that the static wires were about 26 feet above a set of three main transmission lines that are shiny in color. The representative added that company employees reported that they had difficulty seeing the top static wires in lighting conditions similar to the day of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.