Arcata Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mckinleyville, California
Saturday, June 12, 1982 15:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AND SEVERED 3 POWER LINES ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE IN THE VICINITY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW BY A MOBILE HOME PARK TO VERIFY THAT A TRAILER HAD BEEN MOVED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER WHEN HE DEPARTED THE MOBILE HOME AREA AND THAT HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT DURING CLIMB-OUT. HE THEN STRUCK THE LINES; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUFFICIENT POWER TO FLY THROUGH AND SEVERE THE 12KV LINES, WHICH WERE ABOUT 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER, AND THEN CLIMB UP TO A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH ALTITUDE TO FLY BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND LAND. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COWLING WAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE EDGE OF THE FIREWALL ATTACH POINTS; THE PROPELLER TIPS WERE BENT FORWARD ABOUT 3 INCHES; 3 OF THE 4 LEFT WING STRUT ATTACH RIVETS AT THE WING ATTACH POINT WERE SHEARED; A NUMBER OF ELECTRIC ARC BURN SPOTS WERE FOUND ON THE PROPELLER AND LEFT WING SKIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/1982
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MCKINLEYVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ARCATA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ACV
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 57
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64187
NTSB Number LAX82FVD18
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17265073
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 27
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J.D.SWANNACK
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 ACV
Departure City MCKINLEYVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ACV
Destination City MCKINLEYVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --