NTSB Identification: WPR15FA161
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident
occurred
Thursday, May 14, 2015
in
Juntura, OR
Aircraft:
BELLANCA 7GCBC, registration:
N5042P
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This
is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors.
Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has
been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this
investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work
without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to
prepare this aircraft accident report.
On
May 14, 2015, at 1032 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC single
engine airplane, N5042P, impacted power transmission lines while flying
in Juntura, Oregon. The private pilot/owner operated the airplane under
the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, as a
business flight. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane
sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed
for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed.
According to responding law enforcement personnel from the Malheur County Sheriff's Department, the pilot, along with family members, were moving cattle at the time of the accident. The location of the accident was about 700 yards from a residence, in the Juntura Valley. Downed power lines were entwined in the wreckage. The responding Sergeant reported a strong fuel smell inside the cockpit.
A witness was interviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC). The witness reported that she heard the accident airplane flying overhead. She estimated that the airplane flew over 3 to 4 times. On the last pass, the accident pass, she observed the airplane fly straight and level into the power lines. The airplane nosed over, impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted.
The NTSB IIC and inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site. The entire airplane came to rest at the accident site. One of the tires had been sheared off and had come to rest about 20 feet from the main wreckage. A visual examination of the engine revealed no obvious holes in the engine case. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
According to responding law enforcement personnel from the Malheur County Sheriff's Department, the pilot, along with family members, were moving cattle at the time of the accident. The location of the accident was about 700 yards from a residence, in the Juntura Valley. Downed power lines were entwined in the wreckage. The responding Sergeant reported a strong fuel smell inside the cockpit.
A witness was interviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC). The witness reported that she heard the accident airplane flying overhead. She estimated that the airplane flew over 3 to 4 times. On the last pass, the accident pass, she observed the airplane fly straight and level into the power lines. The airplane nosed over, impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted.
The NTSB IIC and inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site. The entire airplane came to rest at the accident site. One of the tires had been sheared off and had come to rest about 20 feet from the main wreckage. A visual examination of the engine revealed no obvious holes in the engine case. The airplane was recovered for further examination.