On June 11, 2001, a Cessna 210M (registration N210BK) was involved in an aviation accident near Magnolia, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from unmarked power lines during a landing attempt on a private road. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempting to land on a private road struck unmarked power lines, causing the aircraft to snap free and crash nose-low nearby.
What happened
The pilot was conducting an approach to land on a private road. During the final phase of the maneuver, the airplane's nose struck four unmarked power lines that crossed perpendicular to the road at an altitude of approximately 20 feet above ground level. The impact caused the power lines to stretch and then snap. Following this contact, the airplane continued forward and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude before coming to rest upright approximately 150 feet from the initial point of contact with the wires.
The investigation
The physical evidence indicated that the primary damage was initiated by the collision with the overhead utility infrastructure. The aircraft sustained significant structural compromise due to the interaction with the power lines, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent ground impact.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from unmarked power lines during a landing attempt on a private road.