Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lomax, Illinois 61454
Wednesday, July 27, 1994 16:07 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED HE AND HIS PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE FLYING ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK AN UNSEEN AND UNMARKED POWER LINE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY WENT INTO THE RIVER, AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE RESCUED BY BOATERS. ACCORDING TO A POLICE OFFICER WHO INTERVIEWED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER JUST AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THEY SAID THEY WERE JUST FLYING ALONG THE RIVER, WAVING AT PEOPLE AND HAVING FUN. A POWER COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE HEIGHT OF THE TWO POLES WHICH SUPPORTED THE POWER LINE WAS ABOUT 60'; HE SAID THE HEIGHT OF THE WIRE WHICH THE AIRPLANE STRUCK WAS APPROXIMATELY 45-50'.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission wire, and the pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate altitude. A factor associated with the accident is the transmission wire.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1607
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LOMAX
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61454
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 815
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 28 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9409A
NTSB Number CHI94LA246
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 15230
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 15544
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARTIN R. CLARKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8952 BRADLEY DR.
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1H7
Departure City GROVE
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOL
Destination City MOLINE
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --