On June 2, 1986, a Beech 95-B55 (registration N3001S) was involved in an aviation accident near Elizabethtown, KY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft flying below overcast ceiling struck a steel guy cable near a television tower, impacting an earth fill dam. The pilot departed from an airport west of the site after weather improved to visual flight rules minimums.
What happened
The aircraft was observed flying level in instrument meteorological conditions just below an estimated overcast ceiling at 500 feet. Visibility was approximately three-quarters of a mile. The left wing struck a steel guy cable with a diameter of 15 to 16 inches while the aircraft was at an altitude of 534 feet above ground level. The impact sheared the outer 118 inches of the cable.
Following the collision, the aircraft impacted an earth fill dam located 1,169 feet from a 650-foot-tall television antenna tower. The top of the tower was obscured by clouds at the time. The pilot had departed from an airport located 63 nautical miles to the west just after the weather at that departure field reached visual flight rules minimums.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the aircraft striking a steel guy cable while operating below the overcast ceiling in poor visibility conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 2 Jun 1986 Beech 95-B55 accident near Elizabethtown, KY?
Aircraft flying below overcast ceiling struck a steel guy cable near a television tower, impacting an earth fill dam. The pilot departed from an airport west of the site after weather improved to visual flight rules minimums.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 2 Jun 1986 involved a Beech 95-B55, registration N3001S, at Elizabethtown, KY.
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