Cessna 172N N4773E

Summary

On 28 May 1995 at about 03:27 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N4773E, operated by Walter L. Wardwell, was involved in an accident near Lovelock, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 May 1995 at 03:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Lovelock, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

40.3202, -118.1996

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N4773E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Walter L. Wardwell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fallon → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX95FA198

4 people died.

the pilot's intentional flight at low altitude and subsequent collision with transmission wires during dusk light conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AT A LOW ALTITUDE PARALLELING A PRIVATE CROP DUSTER STRIP. THEY WATCHED AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED PAST THE AIRSTRIP AT THE LOW ALTITUDE AND THEN COLLIDE WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. ACCORDING TO THE POWER CO., THE WIRES ARE LOCATED ABOUT 1,056 FEET FROM THE END OF THE DUSTER STRIP AND ABOUT 37 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT THE POINT OF CONTACT. THE WIRES ARE NOT MARKED. THE LIGHT CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DUSK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.