Cessna 177 N2810X

Summary

On 31 January 2017 at about 21:40 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N2810X, operated by Eagle Sky Patrol Inc, was involved in an accident near Price, Texas, 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

31 January 2017 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Price, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.1308, -94.9542

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N2810X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Eagle Sky Patrol Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Athens → Frierson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17FA095

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a communications tower guy-wire. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to conduct a long distance transition flight at a low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an aerial observation flight of pipelines in visual meteorological conditions. According to the operator, the pilot was transitioning the airplane to the east between two pipelines, which were about 112 miles apart. During the flight the airplane's left wing contacted the top guy-wire of a 449-ft tall communications tower. The airplane impacted terrain and a post-impact fire consumed the airplane. Although the wreckage was significantly fragmented and damaged by fire, examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Separated sections of the left wing were found between the communications tower and main wreckage. Portions of the wing exhibited wire strike markings consistent with the diameter of the tower guy-wire, and white paint marks consistent with the left wing's paint color were found on the top guy-wire about 430 ft above ground level (agl). GPS data indicated that, for the last 10 minutes of flight, the airplane's altitude varied between 219 and 552 ft agl. The last data point showed the airplane at 403 ft. GPS data and wreckage and impact information are consistent with the pilot failing to maintain clearance from the communications tower guy-wire while flying a long-distance transition flight at low altitude.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.