Bellanca 7GCBC N57511

Summary

On 31 August 2012 at about 23:00 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N57511, operated by Vonderheide George H, was involved in an accident near Homer, Alaska, 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

31 August 2012 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Homer, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.5261, -151.3417

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N57511

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Vonderheide George H

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Homer → Homer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12FA095

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to see and avoid high tension power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane's wreckage was located about 10 miles from its departure point in the shallow waters of a river leading to the remote destination lake. At the accident location, the river is crossed by high-tension power lines. The lines were draped across the river from the high terrain on the south side of the river to the low terrain on the north side of the river. One of the power lines had been severed. All of the cables were marked with large orange marking balls, and the power lines are marked on the aeronautical sectional chart for the area. Postaccident examination of the airframe or engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane collided with the high-tension power lines and sustained substantial damage during impact with terrain. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot did not see the power lines in time to avoid them.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.