On July 28, 2003, an American Champion (acac) 8KCAB (registration N67ND) was involved in an aviation accident near Stephen, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the transmission line and the pilot's continued operation with known deficiencies in equipment. Factors to the accident were the power lines and the low altitude the pilot was flying at. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane struck power lines while performing low-altitude maneuvers over a river, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot and passenger continued to a third airport, removed the wire, and flew the aircraft back to the departure airport without further incident.
Incident Details
The airplane struck power lines while maneuvering at low altitude, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot-rated passenger reported that the pilot was performing low-altitude maneuvers over a river when the aircraft struck power lines. The passenger stated that the pilot did not feel they had struck the line until she pointed it out.
Flight Continuation
After the strike, the pilot and passenger continued the flight. They attempted to enter the traffic pattern at two other airports, but because of air traffic in the area, they proceeded to a third airport. Upon landing, the passenger and pilot removed the wire from the airplane and inspected a hole in the wing.
Return Flight
The pilot assessed the airplane as airworthy and decided to fly it back to the departure airport. The pilot and passenger returned to the departure airport without further incident.