Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aravada, Wyoming 82831
Tuesady, April 14, 1992 17:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE MAULE M-7 PLANNED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD IN ORDER TO VISIT AN ACQUAINTANCE AT A NEARBY RANCH. WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF THE RANCH HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE PROPOSED LANDING SITE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE IT WAS A SAFE FIELD TO TOUCH DOWN IN. AS HE MADE THE LOW PASS HE WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE LANDING SURFACE, AND DID NOT SEE THE POWERLINES UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID THEM. HE TRIED TO GO UNDER THE WIRES, BUT CONTACTED THE LOWER ONE, AND WAS PULLED DOWN INTO THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT, AND HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION. FACTORS INCLUDE A LOW PASS, AND A TRANSMISSION WIRE IN THE PATH OF FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ARAVADA
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82831
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 276
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46385
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61043
NTSB Number SEA92LA078
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 MAULE
Aircraft Model M-7
Aircraft Series Identifier M-7
Aircraft Serial Number 4044C
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 6 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 205
Airframe Hours 265
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OEDEKOVEN, FRED L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 481 RECLUSE RD.
Aircraft Owner City RECLUSE
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82725
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OEDEKOVEN, FRED L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 481 RECLUSE RD.
Operator City RECLUSE
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82725
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
Departure City RECLUSE
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 10:35AM
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 --