Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power wires.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported that, while following a friend performing an instructional flight, the other aircraft motioned to indicate that the student pilot had taken the flight controls, so he "broke away to the right." He added that he began a descent in an area of known power wires and "in [his] mind's eye, [he] had already [passed] the second of 2 sets" of power wires. He added that the airplane struck the power wires "at eye level" and then impacted terrain.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA054 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Nov 19, 2017
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Point Mugu, California
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Quicksilver MXL SPORT
- N-number
- N7712
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2001
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.