On July 9, 1989, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N5379P) operated by Dale, Matthew was involved in an aviation accident near Medicine Lodge, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain and obstacles during low-altitude flight, which resulted in the right wing striking a television antenna. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft flying at low altitude struck a television antenna attached to a house, causing the plane to crash nearby. No injuries were reported in this incident.
What happened
A witness observed an aircraft flying from west to east over his residence. The pilot then approached the house from the east side at a very low altitude. As the aircraft passed over the house for a second time, its right wing struck the top of a television antenna that was attached to the structure. The antenna was located approximately 48 feet above the ground. Following the collision, the aircraft crashed in the vicinity, coming to rest about 1,650 feet from the house.
The investigation
The physical evidence indicated that the initial point of contact was the right wing with the residential antenna structure. The damage sustained by the aircraft was consistent with a high-speed impact at low altitude before the final crash sequence.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain and obstacles during low-altitude flight, which resulted in the right wing striking a television antenna.
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