Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044
Friday, January 31, 1997 17:50 CST

During a pre-solo dual instructional flight in the traffic pattern, the Cessna 152 impacted a power line 1.5 nautical miles (nm) south of the non-towered airport. A witness observed the Cessna flying over runway 16 and, approximately one minute later, observed a twin engine turboprop MU-2 land on runway 34. This witness reported that before the MU-2 exited the runway, the electricity went off at the airport. Witnesses south of the airport reported seeing/hearing a small single engine airplane reduce power, descend low over their houses, and continue south. A witness southwest of the airport heard a twin engine airplane heading northeast, and approximately 30 seconds later, observed the Cessna impact the power line. A 911 call reporting the accident was recorded at 1749, and an electrical power outage was recorded at 1750. These times could not be correlated with radar data, which indicated that, at 1749, the Cessna was 1/4 nm northeast of the airport on a left base for runway 16, while the MU-2 was 5 nm northeast of the airport. Since no further radar returns were recorded for the Cessna, it was not possible to ascertain whether an imminent collision threat occurred between the Cessna and the MU-2. Post-accident examination of the Cessna revealed no evidence of mechanical discrepancies. The sun set at 1756 on a heading of 238 degrees from the airport, indicating the Cessna pilots would have had to look into the setting sun to see the power line, which was located west of the extended centerline of runway 16.

The flight instructor's failure to obtain/maintain clearance with the power line. A factor was the sunglare from the setting sun, which could have impaired the flight instructor's ability to see the power line.