C172 sole occupant survives crash landing near Stellar Airpark 5/9/21

Investigators say power lines caused a small plane to crash on a busy Valley freeway Sunday night.
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Dang those power lines, they should be banned all over the US. We all know how those power lines are always moving trying to snag an airplane and cause it to crash....:rolleyes:

But more importantly happy to hear only minor injuries.
 
Zeldman said:
Dang those power lines, they should be banned all over the US. We all know how those power lines are always moving trying to snag an airplane and cause it to crash....:rolleyes:

But more importantly happy to hear only minor injuries.
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And jumping up to do it on an airplane that wasn't to low
 
Zeldman said:
Dang those power lines, they should be banned all over the US. We all know how those power lines are always moving trying to snag an airplane and cause it to crash....:rolleyes:

But more importantly happy to hear only minor injuries.
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Power lines at the approach end of a runway should be banned or moved underground
 
luvflyin said:
Are you thinking of the GPH thing? It's hard not to think fuel exhaustion given the time enroute.
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On the other hand, it was only doing 90-ish knots at 8500MSL. It could be that they had it leaned out and throttled back for the trip.

But then again, I don't see any dripping fuel in the pics.
 
asicer said:
On the other hand, it was only doing 90-ish knots at 8500MSL. It could be that they had it leaned out and throttled back for the trip.

But then again, I don't see any dripping fuel in the pics.
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Yeah. All kinds of things could come into play regarding endurance and range. What you said, mixture management, wind......
 
AKBill said:
Power lines at the approach end of a runway should be banned or moved underground
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There are no power lines near the *proper* approaches to the runway, and even the freeway lights south of the runway are very very short compared to others in the area. The wreckage is situated where the red circle is on this maps image.

[edit] It's also very possible, even very likely now that I've seen the FlightAware track, that she mistook McClintock Drive, the north/south road east of the airport that forms the intersection where she crashed, for the runway just to the west. The "approach" to the south end of McClintock is nothing but an empty dirt field without any lighting, but the road itself and the overpass are well-lit, so maybe it provided the illusion of being a runway?

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N47AF

plane crash stellar san tan.jpg
 

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Also Stellar has pilot controlled lighting - may not have switched them on. They aren’t outstandingly bright in any case.
 
I think what MFE posted has merit .... the pilot mistook the street for the runway .... I went on Google street view where she came down ... it looked like a perfect glide path to the runway approach (it is a T intersection with open countryside behind her) .... powerlines exactly at the approach and height for a normal landing .

I can also see it would be an easy mistake to make for someone not knowing the area.

Interesting that the actual runway is just a few blocks to the west but there are no powerlines at the approach .... not sure if they put them underground on that stretch of highway or something.

Even from satellite view McClintock Drive looks more like a runway , whereas the airpark strip is closely surrounded by homes.
 
Fatigue could have contributed. Long day. 3+22 flight from KADS to KROW. 44 minutes there and then 4+35 to P19. First leg at 6500. Second leg at 8500, some at and landing at night.
 
I think that model has 48 gallons usable if memory serves. At 8500 prob using around 8 gallons an hour if leaned correctly. If tanks were full and it was leaned out she probably had at least an hour more fuel. Either way that’s closer than I’d cut it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Peter Anderson said:
I think that model has 48 gallons usable if memory serves. At 8500 prob using around 8 gallons an hour if leaned correctly. If tanks were full and it was leaned out she probably had at least an hour more fuel. Either way that’s closer than I’d cut it!
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56 gallons total, 53 usable. Many 172Rs have had the easy 180 hp upgrade (same engine; basically just a new prop and new markings on the tach), which would be more like 10 gph in cruise.
 
Pilawt said:
56 gallons total, 53 usable. Many 172Rs have had the easy 180 hp upgrade (same engine; basically just a new prop and new markings on the tach), which would be more like 10 gph in cruise.
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Low fuel, fatigue, night, unfamiliar airfield lighting...four layers of Swiss cheese. Just right for a sandwich.
 
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Perhaps a CFI relocating the bird from the ADS to SDL Flyers location?
 
A Martin said:
Interesting that the actual runway is just a few blocks to the west but there are no powerlines at the approach .... not sure if they put them underground on that stretch of highway or something.
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Yes they did. Noticed this on the 202 highway just yesterday on the way back from the Estrella sailport. Exactly east and west of the runway the power lines go to some large poles and are routed down underground for south of the runway.
 
Was driving right by there the other day so took a few photos of the wires going down to the ground on both sides .
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ahw01 said:
Perhaps a CFI relocating the bird from the ADS to SDL Flyers location?
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No, apparently it was a young ferry pilot delivering the plane to its new owner. At least that is what the pilot told first responders.
 
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