Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mokane, Missouri 65059
Sunday, June 28, 1992 8:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PERSONS PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE FROM EAST TO WEST ALONG THE RIVER TOWARD SUSPENDED POWER TRANSMISSION LINES. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE LINES THE WITNESSES SAW IT ROLL JUST BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE TOP WIRE IN THE ARRAY. THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN AWAY AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO THE RIVER AND SANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE WIRES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOKANE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65059
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID JEF
Elevation of weather observation facility 549
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1931
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1039
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46772
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5175L
NTSB Number CHI92DCA03
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4661
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SONTHEIMER, JAMES E
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200 IFFRIG RD
Aircraft Owner City ST PETERS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63376
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SONTHEIMER, JAMES E
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 200 IFFRIG RD
Operator City ST PETERS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63376
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 46MO
Departure City ST. PETERS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JEF
Destination City JEFFERSON CITY
Destination State MO
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 --