Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winslow, Arizona 86047
Wednesday, March 15, 1995 12:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE FLIGHT, A PASSENGER IN THE PILOT'S AIRPLANE USED A CELLULAR TELEPHONE TO CALL AN ACQUAINTANCE LOCATED AT A CURIO SHOP ADJACENT TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE PASSENGER INFORMED THE ACQUAINTANCE THAT HE WOULD FLY OVER THE ACQUAINTANCE'S LOCATION. THE AIRPLANE ARRIVED OVER THE LOCATION AND PROCEEDED FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION PAST THE CURIO SHOP. SECONDS AFTER THE OCCUPANTS IN THE AIRPLANE WAVED AT THE ACQUAINTANCE, AND THE ACQUAINTANCE WAVED AT THE AIRPLANE OCCUPANTS, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED POWER LINE WHICH CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY. CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST, AND IT CRASHED 480 FEET FROM THE ACQUAINTANCE. THE SEVERED POWER LINE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 33 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's poor judgement by intentionally deciding to buzz.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WINSLOW
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86047
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 Witness
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 682
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1353
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1520C
NTSB Number LAX95LA135
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 30220
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2450
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID M. ELLIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6360 N. CATTLE TRACK
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85253
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGA
Departure City PAGE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SDL
Destination City SCOTTSDALE
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --