Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chickaloon, Alaska 99674
Saturday, January 1, 2005 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in VFR conditions. A witness reported seeing the airplane flying low over a highway when it struck power lines that crossed the highway. The accident site is located in a gently rolling, wide mountain valley, and the power lines were about 30 feet above the highway. The cables did not break immediately, and the airplane pulled the cables free from the poles on both sides of the highway, and snapped the top six feet and cross arm off one pole, carrying the cables and debris about 100 yards to the airplane's final resting place. An examination revealed all the major airframe components and flight controls were present, and flight-control continuity was established. One propeller blade had extensive leading edge gouging, chord-wise scratches, and torsional twisting and bending. An examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The pilot and front seat passenger, who were both seriously injured, said they had no recollection of the accident. The pilot did not indicate in his written report to the NTSB that there was any preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance during cruise flight, which resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines, and an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the power lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Chickaloon
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99674
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 620000N
Event Location Longitude 1464500W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18710
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1410
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4262D
NTSB Number ANC05LA021
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 Maule
Aircraft Model M-7
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 23061C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Apr 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 142
Airframe Hours 583
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David Barnes
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Palmer
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99645
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 0AK1
Departure City Anderson Lake
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone AST
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2005 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --