Incident Overview
A flight instructor with 13,350 hours of flight experience was conducting a night instrument approach. The instructor reported the runway in sight and cancelled instrument flight rules clearance. Subsequently, the airplane struck a shielded static wire located above high voltage transmission lines. The transmission lines were approximately 52 to 63 feet in height. After striking the wire, the airplane impacted terrain and came to rest approximately 0.6 nautical miles north of the runway.
Weather Conditions
Air Route Traffic Control had previously reported weather conditions at another airport approximately 13 miles away. That report indicated an overcast ceiling of 100 feet and visibility of one mile. The weather conditions at the accident location were not specified in the investigation.
Aircraft Examination
During the course of the investigation, no mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane or its engine. The aircraft had been operating normally prior to the incident.
Investigation Findings
The investigation did not identify any pre-existing mechanical failures or malfunctions. The sequence of events was documented based on the available evidence.