On July 31, 1988, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N9291T) operated by Shafer, Edward B. was involved in an aviation accident near St. Jacob, IL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot failed to climb sufficiently and attempted to fly under power lines, colliding with a lower set of wires and falling to the ground. Temperature was 92°F.
Accident Summary
During the initial climb after departure, a student pilot was unable to gain enough altitude to clear power lines located beyond the departure end of the runway. Recognizing that he would not clear the lines, the pilot decided to attempt to fly under them. However, the aircraft struck a second, lower set of wires and subsequently fell to the ground. The accident occurred under high temperature conditions, with the ambient temperature reported as 92 degrees Fahrenheit.
Investigation Details
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the initial climb. The student pilot's failure to achieve sufficient altitude to clear the power lines led to a situation where he chose to descend in an attempt to pass beneath them. This maneuver resulted in contact with a lower set of wires, causing the aircraft to lose control and impact the ground. No further details regarding the aircraft, location, or personnel have been released as part of this summary.