Aeronca 11AC N85888 accident near Taylorsville, Kentucky

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an unmarked power line during the final approach to land.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, he was on the final leg in the traffic pattern intending to land. As the airplane approached the runway, he observed it begin to pass over the unmarked power lines in the area. He affixed his focus back to the runway and the windshield shattered as it collided with another smaller, unmarked power line located 30 feet above the power lines that the pilot had in sight. After the airplane began a steep descent, the pilot was able to partially recover the attitude prior to impacting the ground at a 45-degree angle. During the accident sequence, the forward section of the fuselage, the firewall, and both wings incurred substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA007 for the full record.