Incident Overview
During a localizer back course approach to Runway 27, an airplane collided with four electronic transmission cables. The cables were located 75 feet above ground level (AGL), approximately 7,000 feet short of the runway threshold. After the collision, the crew executed a missed approach and subsequently landed without further incident in Salina, Kansas.
Findings of the Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified several factors contributing to the event. The crew did not adequately review approach charts. The first officer misidentified lights on the ground, which influenced the captain's subsequent misidentification. Air traffic control (ATC) failed to provide accurate weather information to the crew and failed to vector the airplane to join the localizer outside the final approach fix. Additionally, ATC committed other errors in handling the flight.
An FAA inspector, who was conducting an en route inspection of the flight, did not inform the crew of the errors they were committing in the planning and execution of the approach. The crew did not execute a missed approach when they encountered full-scale localizer deflection inside the final approach fix.