Cessna 525 Strikes Utility Pole During Night Approach in Oklahoma (N61YP)

Accident Overview and Aircraft Details On February 3, 2014, at 2300 central standard time, a Cessna 525 multi-engine turbofan airplane, registration N61YP, was substantially damaged after striking an obstruction during an instrument approach at Elk City Regional Business Airport (ELK) in Elk City, Oklahoma. The aircraft was registered to Yankee Papa, LLC, and operated by Brink Constructors, Inc., both based in Rapid City, South Dakota. The pilot and six passengers aboard were not injured. The flight was a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 business flight under instrument flight rules, departing Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) at approximately 2000 mountain standard time and destined for ELK. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The aircraft was on an instrument approach to runway 17 when it impacted a 29-foot-tall electric utility pole at a GPS-estimated elevation of 2,070 feet mean sea level (msl), approximately 10 feet 7 inches above ground level (agl). The impact scattered debris from the separated utility pole for about 200 feet into a snow-covered wheat field. Evidence indicated the airplane did not touch the ground during the accident sequence, and unbroken electric wires remained attached to the top portion of the completely separated utility pole. After the impact, the pilot successfully executed a missed approach and landed without further incident at Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at approximately 2340.