No fatalities

Hard Landing After Powerline Avoidance During Approach

Bridgeport, CA, United States

On June 2, 2013, a CESSNA 182P operated by Robert H. Stroub was involved in an aviation accident near Bridgeport, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost track of airspeed while focusing on clearing powerlines during approach. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During a normal approach with flaps extended, a pilot focused on clearing powerlines and lost track of airspeed. After clearing the lines, the airplane descended rapidly, struck the ground hard, bounced, impacted again nose-low, flipped, and came to rest inverted short of the runway, with substantial wing and empennage damage.

Incident Overview

The pilot reported that during a normal approach with the flaps in the full extended position, powerlines were observed prior to the runway. The pilot stated that he focused on clearing the powerlines and lost track of the airplane's speed.

Sequence of Events

The airplane cleared the powerlines, and shortly thereafter, it descended rapidly. The airplane struck the ground hard and bounced before impacting the ground a second time in a nose-low attitude. Following the second impact, the airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted just short of the runway surface.

Damage Assessment

During the accident sequence, the airplane's wings and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Findings

No preexisting mechanical issues were identified. The pilot's focus on clearing the powerlines resulted in a loss of awareness of airspeed, leading to the hard landing and subsequent rollover.

Probable cause

The pilot lost track of airspeed while focusing on clearing powerlines during approach.

Contributing factors

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot