Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude and/or clearance from the obstruction (power line) during low altitude flight. The lack of natural lighting at dusk was a related factor.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While flying at low altitude, near the passenger's house at dusk, the aircraft struck a power line, and the windshield 'blew out.' During a subsequent forced landing in a field, the nose landing gear failed, and the aircraft nosed over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 25, 1996, about 2035 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N3887R, registered to a private owner, crashed while making a forced landing after striking a power line, near Jonesville, South Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the private pilot received minor injuries. A passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated from Union, South Carolina, about 15 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated that he was in cruise flight at a low altitude near the passengers house. The aircraft struck a power line and the windshield "blew out." While making a forced landing in a field the aircraft touched down nose first, knocking off the nose gear. The aircraft then nosed over and came to rest inverted. Postcrash examination of the crash site by an FAA inspector showed an electrical wire had been struck near the passengers house and that parts of the aircraft windshield was found near the electrical wires. A mark was found on the aircraft's nose gear that was consistent with the nose gear striking the wire. The aircraft crashed in a field about 6/10 of a mile from the electrical wires. -