Pilot Debrief

NAVION NAVION near Patterson, LA — 2019-01-20

Final reportGAA19CA115
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Date
2019-01-20
Location
Patterson, LA, USA
Airport
PTN
Aircraft
NAVION NAVION
Registration
N384TL
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while making an evasive maneuver to avoid birds.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while on a 3-mile base leg, he encountered a flock of large birds. He aborted the base leg and rapidly descended the airplane to avoid the birds, but the birds followed. The pilot continued the dive and saw power lines nearby. He made an "evasive maneuver (dive down)" to avoid the power lines, but the vertical stabilizer struck the power lines, shearing off the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot maintained airplane control, climbed the airplane, declared "mayday," and requested flight following to an airport without a crosswind for landing. He approached at a higher airspeed to reduce the airplane's left turning tendencies, and during the landing roll, the airplane veered left off the runway into an adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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