Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Perry, Missouri 63462
Friday, April 12, 1996 3:49 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with electrical power lines that were about 700 feet downstream from a dam and about 125 feet above water. The surviving passenger stated that he and the pilot had consumed some beer at his home. After consuming the beer, the passenger said they went to a local restaurant and lounge remaining there until about 0130. The passenger said he and the pilot left the restaurant with two friends that they had met at the restaurant. One of the friends bought a 12 pack of beer en route to the airport. The pilot and three passengers flew for about an hour before descending near a dam. The passenger said the pilot told him he wanted to get a closer look at the dam. Also, the passenger said that before the airplane crashed, he saw the dam above the airplane's front window, then he heard the airplane hit something and saw sparks. Toxicology tests at the FAA CAMI laboratory showed the pilot had ethanol levels of 130 mg/dl in blood, 135 mg/dl in vitreous fluid, and 179 mg/dl in urine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the power transmission wires. Darkness, restricting the pilot's ability to see-and-avoid the transmission line, was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 349
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PERRY
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63462
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
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 352 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID UIN
Elevation of weather observation facility 769
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 36
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 658
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 643
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19884
NTSB Number CHI96LA130
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 177B
Aircraft Series Identifier 177B
Aircraft Serial Number 1770261
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 May 1 1905 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 659
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTOPHER FARMS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1
Aircraft Owner City LADDONIA
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63352
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 H41
Departure City MEXICO
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 --