North Wing Uum Inc. SPORT X2 N467YN accident near Parker Dam, California

Probable cause

The student pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid transmission wires, which resulted in his loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s decision to perform a low-altitude flight, his distracted attention, and his failure to monitor the environment for objects.

NTSB analysis

Witnesses observed the weight-shift-control aircraft flying at a low altitude down the river, and the solo student pilot waving to people on the ground. As the airplane approached a set of transmission wires about 100 feet above the ground, the pilot banked the airplane sharply right to avoid them. One witness said the bank angle was more than 90 degrees. It is likely that the pilot was unable to maintain control of the airplane during this maneuver as it lost altitude. The airplane subsequently struck another set of wires about 30 feet above the ground and cartwheeled to the ground.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13LA313 for the full record.