Cessna 150J N51256

Summary

On 8 January 2005 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna 150J registered N51256 was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 2005 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Marana, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Marana Regional (AVQ)

Coordinates

33.8181, -111.8978

Aircraft

Cessna 150J

Registration

N51256

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marana → Marana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05FA062

1 person died.

the failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate altitude and clearance from obstructions that resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with power lines while maneuvering at low altitude. The airplane owner said the pilot had stopped by his residence around 0600 on the morning of the accident to ask if he could take the owner's daughter on the flight. The owner indicated that it was too early to get her up, so the pilot went to the airport by himself. Around the time of the accident the owner and his spouse were in their front yard with their coffee and newspaper walking towards the back of the house when they saw the accident airplane. The airplane made one low pass over them. On the second pass, the airplane was headed to the west, and crossed over the north-to-south power lines. They continued toward the back of their house as the airplane made the turn back toward the house. The owner then heard the sounds of the airplane contacting the power lines. As he came to the front of the house, the owner saw the airplane coming to its final resting place about 150 feet from the power lines with its nose in the ground. The poles that held the lines were measured at a height of 47 feet above ground level. The static power lines were about 2 feet below that, at a height of 45 feet. The most westerly static power line had been cut. The other cable wrapped around the airplane; however, it remained connected to the poles. The airframe and engine were inspected. Investigators established flight control continuity and engine continuity. There were no mechanical anomalies found that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.