On May 10, 1995, a Cessna 177B (registration N34628) was involved in an aviation accident near Casa, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from an unmarked high-voltage transmission line during final approach, which resulted in the airplane contacting the line and crashing inverted. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a landing attempt on runway 33, the pilot's airplane struck an unmarked high-voltage transmission line located near the airstrip and crashed inverted.
What happened
The pilot was executing a final approach to land on runway 33 at a private airstrip. The aircraft encountered an unmarked high-voltage transmission line situated approximately 850 feet south of the strip. Contact was made with one of the upper shield wires of the power line by the airplane's landing gear. Following this impact, the aircraft lost control and fell to the ground, coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
Post-acc examination confirmed that the damage was consistent with the aircraft striking the transmission line during the landing phase. The pilot had previously acknowledged awareness of the power line's location relative to the airstrip.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from an unmarked high-voltage transmission line during final approach, which resulted in the airplane contacting the line and crashing inverted.