Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tallassee, Alabama 36078
Saturday, March 18, 1995 14:59 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE, THE STUDENT PILOT HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL FLIGHT HOURS IN THE AIRPLANE, BUT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO FLY ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A RIGHT CLIMBING TURN 10 FT AGL, THEN COLLIDE WITH A UTILITY LINE WHICH CROSSED THE OPEN FIELD. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLIDED WITH THE UTILITY WIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE UTILITY LINE WHILE PERFORMING UNWARRANTED LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1459
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TALLASSEE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36078
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID MGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 221
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 650
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 552
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1502
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27120
NTSB Number ATL95FA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J-3L-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3L-65
Aircraft Serial Number 4385
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Apr 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 2934
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALBERTON, JAMES M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 180 GOODHOPE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ECLECTIC
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36024
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 08A
Departure City WETUMPKA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 08A
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --