Thief River Falls, MN, USA
N1820V
CESSNA 172M
During the local flight, the pilot noted that the air was getting a little choppy and that he had to increase the wind correction angle in order to fly a normal heading. The pilot flew a normal downwind approach to the airstrip, but the wind correction angle was very large. He aborted the landing and did a full-power climb to a safe altitude. He said that he then elected to land on the east-west blacktop road right in front of the farm rather than the airstrip, which ran north-south. He circled due to traffic on the road and was concentrating on possible traffic as he approached to land. Soon thereafter, the pilot saw wires directly ahead, and he heard the airplane strike a wire; he applied full power, but the airplane descended and impacted a ditch on the right side and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage during the nose over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot had heard that the wind would pick up later in the day where it would not be ideal for flying. He decided to get a little local flying in early. During the flight, he decided to head back towards the farm airstrip, as it was getting a little choppy. He noticed the wind correction angle needed to fly a heading had increased significantly. The pilot flew a normal downwind approach and found that the wind correction angle was very large. He aborted the landing and did a full power climb back to a safe altitude. He decided to land on the east-west blacktop road right in front of the farm. He circled due to traffic on the road and was totally concentrating on possible traffic. The pilot’s eyes caught sight of wires directly ahead and he heard the “zing” of wire impact the airplane as he applied full power. The airplane was subsequently pulling to the right and the pilot could not hold the centerline. The airplane settled, impacted the ditch on the right side, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage during the nose over. The pilot reported that there no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight.
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power line while on approach to landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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