On July 30, 1999, a Piper J3C-65 (registration N42378) was involved in an aviation accident near Sanger, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain clearance with the power line. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane struck a power line with its left main landing gear strut and impacted the ground, coming to rest inverted. The flight followed an annual inspection and a descent to a perceived safe VFR altitude.
Incident Overview
An airplane contacted a power line with its left main landing gear strut and subsequently impacted the ground, coming to rest inverted. The event occurred during a flight following an annual inspection.
Pre-accident Flight
The pilot was flying the airplane back to his private grass airstrip after the inspection. When the aircraft was approximately two miles from the airstrip, the pilot began a descent to an altitude he indicated he thought was a safe VFR altitude.
Contact with Power Line
During this descent, the left main landing gear strut struck a power line. The contact initiated a loss of control, and the airplane impacted the ground.
Aftermath
The airplane came to rest in an inverted position after the ground impact. The aircraft had only recently completed its annual inspection prior to the flight.