On August 27, 1984, a Cessna A188B (registration N4797Q) operated by Willard Kiehm was involved in an aviation accident near Delavan, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to fly beneath powerlines after the aircraft failed to climb rapidly enough on takeoff, which resulted in contact with the wires. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot elected to fly under powerlines after the aircraft failed to climb rapidly enough on takeoff, resulting in contact with the lowest wire before a safe landing in a field.
What happened
During the initial phase of flight following takeoff, the pilot reported that the aircraft was unable to achieve a sufficient rate of climb to clear overhead powerlines. Faced with this performance limitation, the pilot made the decision to navigate beneath the wires rather than attempting to climb over them and risking an aerodynamic stall.
As the aircraft passed under the obstruction, the propeller, windshield, and vertical stabilizer struck the lowest wire. Despite the impact damage, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft and successfully completed the flight by landing in a nearby field.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly beneath powerlines after the aircraft failed to climb rapidly enough on takeoff, which resulted in contact with the wires.
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