ANGELS CAMP, CA, USA
N56760
BOEING A75
NUMEROUS GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLY LOW ALONG THE RIVER WHICH FED INTO THE NEW MELONIES RESERVOIR LAKE AND THEN COLLIDE WITH UNMARKED HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WHICH SPANNED A NARROW PORTION OF THE LAKE. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT APRX 500 FT ABOVE THE WATER WHEN IT STRUCK THE POWER LINES. THE ELECTRIC COMPANY'S RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE POWER LINES SPANNED 4007 FT ACROSS THE LAKE BETWEEN TWO STEEL TOWERS. AT THE LOWEST DROOP, THE LINES MEASURED 194 FT ABOVE THE RECORDED HIGH WATER MARK OF THE LAKE. ACCORDING TO THE US DEPT OF INTERIOR, THE LAKE LEVEL ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS RECORDED AT 1061.84 FT MSL, AND THE HIGH WATER MARK FOR THE LAKE WAS 1088 FT MSL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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