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Atlas / NTSB / FTW85LA354

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event FTW85LA354

1985-09-08 ROCKDALE, Texas, United States Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OBSERVED AND CLEARED SERVERAL OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE APPROACH PATH OF HIS INTENDED LANDING AREA. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE ONE SMALL AND UNMARKED ELECTRICAL POWER LINE UNTIL TOO LATE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. THIS LINE WAS ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD IN WHICH HE HAD PLANNED TO LAND. AFTER IMPACT THE GLIDER SMAPPED VIOLENTLY ABOUT 270 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_FTW85LA354.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.