Denning Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dunn, North Carolina 28334
Sunday, August 6, 1989 10:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM A 1,400 FOOT SOD AIRSTRIP, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH UTILITY LINES ABOUT 100 FEET OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS 1,600 FEET LONG. HOWEVER, THE MEASURED LENGTH WAS 1,400 FEET. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTS THE PILOT TO ADD ABOUT 17% TO THE CALCULATED TOTAL DISTANCE FOR ADDITIONAL TEMPS AND SOD SURFACES. A TAKEOFF DISTANCE OF 1620 FEET WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CLEAR A 50 FOOT OBSTACLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY CALCULATE THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE REQUIRED FOR THE CONDITIONS AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES DURING CLIMBOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1006
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DUNN
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28334
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DENNING
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 160
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 851 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 632
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40142
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5558G
NTSB Number ATL89LA192
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 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15071058
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3576
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LUTHER P. DENNING
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2 BOX 375
Aircraft Owner City DUNN
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28334
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 2 BOX 164A
Operator City BENSON
Operator State NC
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City DUNN
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 9
Runway Length 1400
Runway Width 66
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --