No fatalities

30 Mar 2016: BEECH F35 NO SERIES — Long Island, NC

Long Island, NC, United States

On 30 Mar 2016, a BEECH F35 NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Long Island, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to maneuver at low altitude, which resulted in a collision with power lines and substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported striking uncharted power lines while maneuvering at low altitude, causing cracks to the windscreen and damage to the vertical stabilizer, but continued safely to destination.

Incident

During the initial climb, the pilot leveled off at approximately 65 feet above the ground and executed a right turn to follow a river. After maneuvering down the river for about one minute, the airplane struck uncharted and unmarked power lines that spanned across the entire width of the river. The pilot reported that he never saw the power lines before impact, but he did observe larger charted power lines about one mile ahead.

Damage

The impact from the power lines cracked the windscreen and damaged the vertical stabilizer. The left vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. Despite the damage, aircraft control was not affected, and the pilot was able to continue to the destination airport, located approximately 3 nautical miles away.

Pilot Account

The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The power lines struck were not charted or marked on any maps or navigation aids.

Contributing factors

Causes

Incorrect use/operationPilot

Other contributing factors

Awareness of condition