Muscle Shoals/Northwest Alabam Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661
Friday, July 29, 2005 16:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was attempting to enter the traffic pattern when the accident occurred. A witness heard the pilot report four miles east of the airport requesting local weather information. The pilot also talked to the witness, who was in the traffic pattern, and advised the witness that he would be entering right traffic for runway 29. The pilot was on a base for runway 29 when the airplane collided with a 161 KV transmission line approximately 95 feet above the ground. The airplane fell to the ground and burst into flames. Tennessee Valley Authority reported an interruption at 1650 on the transmission lines in the area of the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed the airplane collided with the ground two miles southeast of Muscle Shoals Airport, in a planted field. The wreckage was located 200 yards west of the transmission lines. Wreckage debris was scattered over an area about 70 feet long and 40 feet wide, and orientated on a westerly heading. The post-accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem or component failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, and failure to maintain clearance, which resulted in an in flight collision with a transmission wire.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Muscle Shoals
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35661
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344443N
Event Location Longitude 0873637W
Event Location Airport Muscle Shoals/Northwest Alabam
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KMSL
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 550
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KMSL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18750
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
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 Birmingham FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9501Y
NTSB Number ATL05LA137
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T210
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21064524
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Western Air Inc.,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 SILVERSIDE RD
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Western Air Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3511 Silverside Rd
Operator City Wilmington
Operator State DE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 19810
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 KDLL
Departure City Baraboo Wiscons
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KMSL
Destination City Muscle Shoals
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 23 2005 2:12PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 6693
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --