ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37921
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| Date: | Thursday 20 July 1989 |
| Time: | 21:09 |
| Type: |  Cessna 177 Cardinal |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | N30039 |
| MSN: | 17701042 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1520 hours |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING O-320-E2D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Hesperia, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | (L26) |
| Upland, CA (CCB) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WITNESSES SAID THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT FLEW A CURVING RIGHT HAND FLIGHT PATH AT LOW ALTITUDE BACK TOWARD THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY USED FOR DEPARTURE. AT A POINT CORRESPONDING TO A MODIFIED AND EXTENDED RIGHT BASE LEG FOR THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 32 FT AGL. AT THE TIME OF WIRE CONTACT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING PARALLEL WITH THE POWER LINE. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. EXTENSIVE EXAMINATION OF THE SURVIVING WRECKAGE COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN OR QUALITY WAS PROBABLY BEING USED IN THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT AN APPROVED STC. ACCORDING TO A SECOND HAND ACCOUNT FROM THE SURVIVING CHILD PASSENGER, THE TWO PILOTS BEGAN 'FIGHTING OVER THE CONTROLS' AFTER TAKEOFF, WITH ONE PILOT REPORTEDLY TELLING THE OTHER THAT 'HE TURNED THE WRONG WAY.' THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DARK NIGHT OVER AN AREA WITH NO GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS. CAUSE: AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH A POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE ON A DARK NIGHT OVER AN AREA WITH FEW GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS. THE REASONS FOR THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH AND ALTITUDE PROFILE ARE UNDETERMINED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE APPARENT DISAGREEMENT WHICH OCCURRED BETWEEN THE TWO PILOTS DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT SEQUENCE.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X28858
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
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