On April 18, 1998, a Grumman American AA5B (registration N28565) was involved in an aviation accident near Aguanga, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the lack of available published information regarding obstructions and nonstandard lighting at the private airport, and the lack of a lighted and properly marked displaced threshold. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A maintenance technician/pilot struck power lines while landing a single-engine airplane at a private airstrip after an annual inspection. The propeller stopped, and the runway lights flickered.
Incident Details
A maintenance technician/pilot was returning an airplane to its owner at a private airstrip after completing an annual inspection. The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern by overflying the airport at 2000 hours (dusk) and joined the downwind leg for runway 28 via a 45-degree entry. While aligning with the runway, he glanced at the airspeed indicator and heard a 'kunk' sound. He then noticed that the propeller had stopped. Simultaneously, the pilot observed power lines in his path and saw the runway lights flicker and go out.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a 3- to 4-inch gash in the spinner and marks on one propeller blade. The pilot stated that the marks 'looked like it had scraped on something.' He reported that 'apparently there are two rows of power lines and somehow I hit a wire on the first row.' A maintenance worker reported that none of the power lines were broken, but one had been pulled out of its support.
Airport Information
No charts or publications were available to the pilot that warned of the power lines. The dirt strip lacked visible displaced threshold markings to indicate an obstructed 20:1 or 3-degree approach to runway 28. The runway had nonstandard lighting, consisting of six red/green lights at both thresholds. Official sunset had occurred at 1924 hours.