Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carthage, Tennessee 37030
Thursday, April 15, 2004 17:28 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying in the vicinity of a river. He started a turn when his passenger stated, "watch the wires." The airplane collided with two of four wires and collided with the river. The pilot stated he should have been more alert about his surroundings. He further stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before it collided with the wires and the water.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout and clearance while maneuvering resulting in an in-flight collision with wires and subsequent collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1728
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Carthage
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37030
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361125N
Event Location Longitude 0861850W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 257
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) 1240
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15820
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2908E
NTSB Number ATL04CA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aeronca
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC6491
Certified Max Gross Weight 1240
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 Aug 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 3567
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Paul G. Rotenberry
Aircraft Owner Street Address Hickory Ridge Road
Aircraft Owner City Mount Juliet
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37122
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name William L. Rotenberry
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2720 Old Elm Hill Road
Operator City Nashville
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37214
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 SRB
Departure City Sparta
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M54
Destination City Lebanon
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2004 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --