What happened
During a personal cross-country flight, a private pilot contacted air traffic control to request a return to the departure airport, citing a communication issue related to the attitude heading reference system (AHRS). Radar tracking showed the aircraft type was positioned approximately 1.75 miles north of the airfield at an altitude of roughly 2,000 feet MSL, traveling southeast. Approximately 20 seconds after the request was made, the aircraft began a descent and entered a right-hand turn.
While maneuvering within the traffic pattern, the aircraft struck power lines located about 0.75 miles from the airport. These lines were positioned roughly 75 feet above the ground. The accident resulted in one fatality.
Findings
Post-accident inspections of the engine and airframe showed no mechanical failures that would have prevented the aircraft from operating normally. While the pilot reported an instrumentation anomaly, investigators could not confirm an active malfunction during the flight. A failure in the standby airspeed indicator's link arm was discovered, but evidence suggests this occurred during the impact sequence rather than prior to it. Additionally, while the pilot had low levels of certain sedating antihistamines in their system, it could not be determined if these medications caused impairment.
Investigators concluded that the pilot's distraction by a noncritical instrument anomaly likely led to the failure to maintain adequate clearance from the power lines, which should have been visible under the prevailing visual weather conditions.