N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sprague, Washington 99032
Wednesday, July 2, 2014 20:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to practice taxiing in his recently purchased airplane. While taxiing, the airplane unintentionally became airborne and the pilot decided that in an effort to not collide with an electric fence ahead, he would need to add full power and fly the airplane in a traffic pattern to come back and land. Despite being aware of a powerline in the area, the pilot collided with it during his third landing attempt. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from powerlines during the landing approach resulting in a collision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/2014
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Sprague
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99032
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 471816N
Event Location Longitude 1175742W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 Unknown
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 Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 27.56
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33167
NTSB Notification Source FAA Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 24 2014 6:23PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5KW
NTSB Number WPR14CA279
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 WILEY
Aircraft Model Kitfox IV
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1658
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 2 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 806
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALKER MARK L
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 992249618
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WALKER MARK L
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SPOKANE
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 992249618
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Sprague
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Sprague
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 24 2014 6:23PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --