Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Pinto, Texas 76484
Sunday, October 26, 2008 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, his "intention was just to exercise the engine and aircraft for an hour." He flew a circular route and was returning when the airplane collided with two power lines that stretched across the river between two cliffs. He said, "[t]he terrain [was] hilly but desolate and I decided to get a closer look at the animals that were in the Brazos River bottom. Two power lines ran from the top of one cliff to another and were struck. They were on 40 foot power poles and 112 feet above the riverbed. They had a 900 foot span and no markers."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional low-level flight and failure to maintain a visual lookout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Palo Pinto
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76484
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324312N
Event Location Longitude 0981328W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID MWL
Elevation of weather observation facility 974
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMWL 261753Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 27/14 A30
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24929
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 18 2009 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42FG
NTSB Number CEN09CA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 R172E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number R172-0177
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 18 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 7034
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Steven M. Toft
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6712 Greenacres Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Fort Worth
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76180
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Steven M. Toft
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6712 Greenacres Dr.
Operator City Fort Worth
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76180
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 T67
Departure City Fort Worth
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T67
Destination City Fort Worth
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 11 2009 2:18PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --