Piper PA-28R-180 N3970T

Summary

On 28 April 2013 at about 00:59 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N3970T, operated by Pro-Flite Inc, was involved in an accident near Norfolk, Nebraska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 April 2013 at 00:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Norfolk, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Norfolk Regional Airport (OFK)

Coordinates

41.9822, -97.3831

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N3970T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pro-Flite Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norfolk → Omaha

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CEN13FA241

2 people died.

The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude and his subsequent failure to see and avoid power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two witnesses reported seeing an airplane matching the description of the accident airplane flying in the area of the departure airport at very low altitudes about 90 minutes before the accident flight. One witness described the flight profile as similar to "crop-duster type operations, with multiple low-altitude passes." Another witness reported that the airplane departed the airport and climbed to about 1,000 feet and then made a gradual eastbound descent to a low altitude and out of sight. He reported that the airplane reappeared in a very steep left bank and then descended out of sight again. About 3 miles east of the airport, the airplane impacted a 20-foot-high power line, which resulted in the vertical stabilizer separating from the top of the fuselage and the airplane becoming uncontrollable until it impacted terrain. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A parallel set of high-tension power lines with large support poles was located about 1/2 mile east of the impacted power line. As the pilot flew the airplane at a low altitude eastbound, the high-tension power lines likely visually aligned (that is, came within the same line of sight) with the impacted power line. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot was focused on the more prominent high-tension power lines and did not observe the impacted power line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.