Piper PA-18-135 N9841Q

Summary

On 11 July 2006 at about 15:25 local time, a Piper PA-18-135 registered N9841Q was involved in an accident near Steubenville, Ohio, 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

11 July 2006 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Steubenville, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

40.3806, -80.6531

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-135

Registration

N9841Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Toledo → Pittsburgh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI06LA187

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the unmarked power line which resulted in the subsequent impact with the roadway. Factors were the unmarked power line, and the low altitude at which the flight was conducted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted power lines and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest on a highway that runs through an east-west gap in a line of small mountains. Power lines cross this gap approximately perpendicular to the roadway and were strung between towers on ridges on either side of the road. The towers stood about 80 feet tall and the ridges were about 380 feet above the roadway. The power line that was struck was not the uppermost wire and was about 243 feet above the road. The power lines were not marked with high visibility devices, nor were the towers lighted. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying at a low altitude along the roadway and then striking the power lines. The fuel selector valve was positioned for the left fuel tank. Both fuel tanks were found to be empty. The left fuel tank was damaged but not ruptured, and the right fuel tank was ruptured. A fuel odor was present at the accident site and fuel consumption calculations predicted that the fuel used for the flight would not have exceeded the capacity of the selected fuel tank. No preimpact anomalies were found with respect to the airplane, its engine, or systems.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.