What happened
On January 30, 2010, a Maule M-6-235 was conducting a local flight originating from Erie Municipal Airport (EIK) in Colorado. While flying along a creek bed to locate a landing site for a hiking excursion, the pilot of N7613X struck an unpowered, unmarked utility line. The pilot initially believed the aircraft had struck a tree limb and continued the flight for approximately 17 miles.
After the impact, the pilot landed at Everitt Airport (1CO8) in Parker, Colorado, and placed the aircraft in a hangar belonging to a friend. The pilot and passenger subsequently returned to the area on foot to search for debris. The accident was not reported to authorities immediately; investigators only became aware of the event approximately six weeks later when property owners discovered airplane parts on their land.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 100 degrees at 5 knots.
The investigation
Investigators arrived at the scene on March 18, 2010. They identified a damaged utility line owned by the Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) that crossed the creek perpendicularly at an altitude of approximately 30 to 40 feet. The investigation revealed that the top wire of the line had sustained damage, with at least one wire strand broken.
Debris, including a left wingtip, left aileron, and portions of a wing spar and wing skin, was found scattered in a 50-foot by 200-foot area. The northernmost debris was located directly under the damaged utility line. Examination of a 24-inch section of the rear spar showed a 2.5-inch curved indentation and a straight impact mark, consistent with an impact with the utility line.
Findings
- The aircraft struck a single, unpowered, and unmarked utility line.
- The impact occurred approximately 35 feet above the creek bed.
- The pilot was maneuvering the aircraft near trees that reached heights of 30 to 60 feet.
- The pilot and passenger were not injured.