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WPR25LA021

2024-10-19 · Rexburg, Idaho, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RXE

Current FAA registration · N4846M

Make / Model
PIPER PA-11
Engine
CONT MOTOR C90 SERIES (95 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19570502
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A5FAAB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid transmission wires during the landing approach.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that he was in a pumpkin drop competition that was being held on a farm field with a new landing strip. The prevailing winds necessitated that the airplanes fly over transmission wires prior to landing. The pilot stated that he dropped his pumpkins, but missed the target by a long distance. During his landing, he flew over one set of power lines and reduced power to descend and land. The airplane inadvertently struck a second, parallel set of wires that he had not seen. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was hospitalized for 12 weeks following the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Identification/recognition-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Wire-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_WPR25LA021.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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