Incident Overview
At 0203 Pacific Daylight Time, an electrical power outage occurred when a Cessna 152, registered as N4873H, collided with a power line crossing the Feather River near Marysville, California. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot who was flying over the river at low altitude with a passenger aboard at night.
Discovery of Wreckage
The wreckage was located at 0519 PDT by personnel from the power company, who were likely responding to the power outage.
Unauthorized Flight
According to the operator of the aircraft, the student pilot had access to a locked office where the keys to the aircraft were kept. Reports indicate that the student took the aircraft without authorization.
Toxicology Results
Toxicology tests conducted at an FAA laboratory revealed that the student pilot had an alcohol level of 0.205% in his blood and 0.297% in his urine. Additionally, there was evidence that he had consumed methamphetamine and cocaine in the previous few days. A urine test showed levels of 0.067 for methamphetamine and 0.24 ug/mL for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. However, blood tests for drugs and medications were negative.
Aircraft and Location
The aircraft involved was a Cessna 152, registration N4873H. The collision occurred over the Feather River near Marysville, California.