Cessna 140A N5612C

Summary

On 8 November 2014 at about 23:00 local time, a Cessna 140A registered N5612C was involved in an accident near Gilroy, California, 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

8 November 2014 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gilroy, California, United States

Nearest airport

Frazier Lake Airpark (1C9)

Coordinates

37.0256, -121.4811

Aircraft

Cessna 140A

Registration

N5612C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollister → Watsonville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR15FA039

2 people died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while flying at a low altitude.Contributing to the accident was the obscuration of the pilot’s visibility due to sun glare.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot and passenger were flying in an area of wooded, rolling hills and valleys. When the airplane did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, a search was initiated. The wreckage was located the next day in a valley about 5 miles from the departure airport, where it came to rest beneath overhead distribution power lines. The unmarked lines were located about 300 ft above ground level, in an east-west orientation, and were anchored between two H-frame pole assemblies that stood on either side of the valley. There were no witnesses to the accident, but residences near the accident site reported a power outage near the time of the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller, right wing leading edge, and right wing strut exhibited impact marks consistent with a wire strike. Given the position of the sun about the time of the accident, it is likely that sun glare contributed to the pilot's inability to see the power lines as he flew the airplane along the valley at low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.