Adopted: June 16, 1944

File No. 140-44

REPORT OF THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD

on the

Investigation of an Accident Involving Aircraft During a Local Practice Flight

Elmer Franklin Jones was seriously injured in an accident which occurred at the Northport Airport, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, about 5:40 p.m. on January 13, 1944. Jones, age 30, was enrolled in the CAA War Training Service secondary instructor course. He had flown approximately 130 hours, of which about 76 were solo. The airplane, a Waco UPF-7, NC 30174, owned by the Defense Plant Corporation and being operated by the North Aviation Company, was damaged extensively.

Jones took off from the Northport Airport at 4:55 p.m. for a solo practice flight. After practicing high sequence maneuvers for about 40 minutes, he returned to the airport and entered the traffic pattern in preparation for a 180 degree side approach spot landing toward the south. He used some power during the final 90 degree turn toward the runway but retarded the throttle at the completion of the turn. While on the final approach, the airplane struck and broke the top wires of a power line 30 feet above thc ground along the north field boundary and crashed to the ground at an angle of about 30 degree, 94 feet beyond the power line.

Examination of the wreckage did net reveal evidence of failure of any part of the aircraft prior to the collision with the power line Both propeller blades bore narks from contact with the upper cable and a portion of the cable was tightly wound around the crankshaft back of the propeller hub. Jones stated that he knew the power line was there but thought he had sufficient altitude to clear it. Weather conditions were CAVU with a south-southwest wind of 18 m.p.h., gusty.

The probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s misjudgment of his altitude while attempting a spot landing, which resulted in the airplane colliding with a known obstruction.

BY THE BOARD

/s/

Fred A. Toombs

Secretary