This October 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Zenair CH701 Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Lonsdale, Minn. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot departed from his private airstrip with a passenger for a local flight.
Upon returning for landing, his neighbor was operating a combine harvester in a soybean field near the runway threshold. The pilot extended his traffic pattern to allow time for the machine to move out of the runway approach path.
However, upon turning back toward the runway, the machine had not moved as far as he had expected. The pilot stated that at that point the airplane hit a power line and came to rest upside down and was destroyed during the accident sequence.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line while on approach to land.
For more information: NTSB.gov. NTSB Identification: CEN11CA010
