Accident Summary
The airplane, on an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 36, struck a 150-foot-high power line located approximately 2.5 miles south of the airport. The collision occurred after the local tower controller had cleared the airplane to land. Shortly after clearance, the tower experienced a power interruption that caused the radar display to blink and become skewed. The controller then noticed the airplane's data block disappear on the radar scope.
Flight and Weather
At the time of the accident, the reported weather conditions included a 500-foot overcast ceiling and 3 miles visibility. The minimum descent altitude for the ILS approach was 376 feet above ground level (AGL). The approach controller stated that after handing off the airplane to the tower, he observed no unusual aspects; the airplane's altitude appeared normal and it did not deviate from the localizer. The tower controller mentioned that before the power outage, she had been looking out the window to check the weather and did not observe any problems with the airplane.
Investigation
Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. A flight test of the ILS navigational facility conducted after the accident found no anomalies in its operation. According to the supervisor on duty, he observed a low altitude alert for the airplane, which was shortly followed by the interruption of power to the building. He also stated that the airplane did not make any lateral deviations from the localizer.
No probable cause has been stated in the investigation report.