NAVION NAVION
Patterson, LA — January 20, 2019
Event Information
| Date | January 20, 2019 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA19CA115 |
| Event ID | 20190124X25455 |
| Location | Patterson, LA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 29.70722, -91.29639 |
| Airport | HARRY P WILLIAMS MEMORIAL |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | NAVION |
| Model | NAVION |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while making an evasive maneuver to avoid birds.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, while on a 3-mile base leg, he encountered a flock of large birds circling. He aborted the base leg and made a rapid descent to avoid the birds, but the birds followed. The pilot continued the dive and observed power lines in the vicinity. 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 control, climbed, declared "mayday", and requested flight following to an airport without a crosswind for landing. He approached at a higher airspeed to reduce the left turning tendencies and, during the landing roll, the airplane veered left off the runway into an adjacent grass and mud 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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.