On January 2, 1982, a Navion A (registration N4876K) operated by Steve A. Phillips was involved in an aviation accident near Chickasha, OK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft departed a private airport near Chickasha and crashed into power lines shortly after takeoff, resulting in significant structural damage to the right wingtip.
What happened
The aircraft departed from a private airport located approximately two miles south of Chickasha at 0330. Shortly after departure, at 0336, power was interrupted on electric power lines situated southwest of Chickasha. The wreckage was discovered six miles south and four and one-half miles west of Chickasha, positioned just a few feet west of a 35-foot powerline. A five-foot section of the right wingtip had been sheared off, and the top powerline was broken.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the aircraft sustained significant damage to its right wingtip during the incident. The physical evidence indicated contact with overhead infrastructure, specifically resulting in the shearing of a five-foot section of the wingtip and the breaking of the top powerline.