Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Continental Aerospace Technologies; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
https://registry.faa.gov/N3371U
Accident Number: WPR20FA049
Date & Time: 12/21/2019, 1822 MST
Registration: N3371U
Aircraft: Cessna 182
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On December 21, 2019, at 1822 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182F, N3371U, struck power lines while on approach to land for runway 03 at Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR), Goodyear, Arizona. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provision of Title 14 Code of Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot's spouse stated that she had driven him to Glendale airport earlier that day so that he could pick up his airplane from an avionics shop; he had had an ADSB system installed. When he got to Glendale, he had trouble getting the ADSB system to work, and spent the next 2 hours with the avionics shop trying to rectify the issue. After 2 hours, the pilot called his wife to let her know what the situation was and that he was going to fly back to the airport. He believed the issue was a software problem, and that he needed to update the GARMIN software in order to get the ADSB to work properly. The wife stated that the pilot returned to the house updated the software and returned to GYR to conduct a check flight of the ADSB. At 1801, the pilot texted his wife to let her know that everything looked great and he as going for a short flight.
Radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), identified the airplane's flight track. The radar track showed two full circles and then a return toward the airport.
Responding law enforcement reported that the airplane had impacted high-tension power lines about 1 mile south of the airport. The power lines are approximately 100 ft above ground level (agl) and are unmarked and unlighted.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), FAA inspectors, and investigators from Textron Aviation and Continental Aerospace Technologies responded to the accident site. The entire airplane came to rest inverted on the ground underneath power lines. The engine was exposed but remained attached at the engine mounts to the airframe. There were no obvious holes in the engine case.
The airplane wreckage was recovered and moved to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N3371U
Model/Series: 182 F
Aircraft Category:Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation:
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point:
Destination:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.397222, -112.398333 (est)
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
Ben Edgar Preusser
April 6, 1957 - December 21, 2019
Ben worked for APS in various capacities for more than 30 years and he considered his APS co-workers family. After retiring in 2017, he had the opportunity to take a job with Tucson Electric Power alongside longtime friends and colleagues.
Ben was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Preusser. He leaves behind his loving wife of 40 years Karla Salyer, father Jack Preusser, and children; Emily Lines (Trevor), Derek Preusser (Mindy), and Michael Collin Salyer (Tabby), grandchildren; Dalton Adair, Gillian Adair, Asher Adair, Seth Adair, Kylie Ballard, Derek Benjamin Preusser, and Logan Preusser. He also leaves behind his brother Jack Preusser (Cecily), sister Mayme Preusser, and brother Martin Preusser (Michele).
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering from 1:00 to 4:00pm on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Heritage Funeral Chapel, 6830 W. Thunderbird Rd, Peoria. The gathering will be informal to allow family and friends to share memories and remember a man who will be dearly missed.
It happened one mile south of the Phoenix Goodyear Airport, authorities say, near Vineyard Avenue and Estrella Parkway.
After a 30 minute search, crews located a Cessna 182F Skylane plane on its roof, south of a canal. The fire department reports the pilot may have struck the power lines on the way down.
No one else was on board, the fire department says.
Goodyear Police Department is conducting the investigation until and the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB take over.
Arizona Public Service is on scene working to clear the downed power lines safely.
Story and video ➤ https://www.fox10phoenix.com
Goodyear fire crews say a Phoenix police helicopter located a Cessna 182F Skylane on its roof about a mile south of the airport near Estrella Parkway and Vineyard Avenue.
Initial reports indicate the plane struck a power line before it went down. The pilot was the only person on board, firefighters say.
There are reports of high voltage lines down in the area, officials say. Ground crews are trying to make access to the plane.
Officials say the FAA and NTSB will investigate.
Story and video ➤ https://www.abc15.com
Fire Chief Bryan Duell of the Goodyear Fire Department said crews found a Cessna 182F Skylane aircraft lying on its roof. High voltage lines appear to have been struck and are down due to the crash. No power outages have been reported. When crews made access to the plane, they found one deceased person inside of it.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane was heading to Phoenix Goodyear Airport, located near Litchfield and Yuma roads, when it crashed for unknown circumstances.
Story and video ➤ https://www.azfamily.com
A consulting engineer for Tucson Electric Power appears to be the pilot killed in a plane crash near Phoenix Goodyear Airport.
A Facebook post shared by a family member names Ben Edgar Preusser as the pilot. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner lists Ben Preusser as having died December 21st, 2019.
The Goodyear Police and Fire departments were contacted to confirm the identity, as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to not identify or confirm names of victims. However, Goodyear police referred questions about the victim to the NTSB.
Tucson Electric Power — which provides power to over 417,000 customers in the Tucson metro area — confirmed Mr. Preusser was a contractor with the company.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr. Preusser was a consulting engineer for TEP, and previously worked with Arizona Public Service in a number of roles on-and-off from 1985 to 2017.
He had been contracting with TEP on the company's Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) renewable energy project since 2017, his profile states.
Officials said a man in his 50s was found dead at the scene of a plane crash around 7 p.m. Saturday, December 21st, about a mile south of the airport, near Buckeye Road and Bullard Avenue.
Goodyear Fire Department officials said the plane may have struck power lines before going down.
A Phoenix police helicopter located a Cessna 182F Skylane on its roof about one mile south of the airport around 7 p.m.
Authorities said the pilot was the only person aboard and was found dead in the plane.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the fatal crash.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.yourvalley.net
I listen to ATC recording on this Tower/Ground KGYR at 1:00-1:30 GMT recording on live ATC. He took off tower told another aircraft that he was orbiting over twin lakes. Then 71U told the tower he was returning. The next radio call he said he was slowing it down tower said he was number 3. Then on final tower called him number 2 he copied the towers calls I could hear the engine running on his radio calls. He didn't seem concerned or anything not sure if there was an issue, or he was just doing some night take off's and landings to stay current. The tower then called another aircraft to ask if he could see the down aircraft 1/2 mile on final that pilot reported a small fire on the ground. The power lines run south of the Goodyear Airport are not lighted as far as I'm told can be a concern if you get too low on final.
ReplyDeleteThe recording is on ATC live website It's December 22 KGYR 01:00-01:30 GMT. Correcting my above statement the tower told another aircraft about traffic orbiting twin lakes. The traffic responded to that radio it was 71U made 2 orbits told the tower he was returning. He said he was slowing it down and tower put him as number 3 71U indicated he had the number 2 in sight and was following as number 3. There was only a few aircraft in the sky around the airport I didn't hear any radio calls on the turns but he did respond to the tower calling him on final cleared to land as number 2 71U responded as he had traffic in sight was following.
ReplyDeleteAbove information is incorrect. Tower was telling another aircraft that a Cessna seemed to be orbiting over twin lakes. Response was looking for traffic. Tower asked if 71U was still with them. 71U stated he was still with tower and headed back and was turning around right now. Tower asked 71U to report a 2 mile final for runway 3. 71U responded he would report a 2 mile final for runway 3. He was never told he was number 3.
ReplyDeleteTower told 71U that he was number 2 following a Cessna at 11oclock 2 miles in front of him that had started his base turn. Response was that he had traffic in sight and he was going to slow it down and come in number 2 for runway 3. After that tower stated again he was number 2 cleared to land. 71U confirmed he was number 2 cleared to land on runway 3
Not anywhere in the radio communications was 71U told that he was number 3 and he never responded that he was number 3. If you understand the communications, when they refer to “3” they are talking about the runway that they are cleared to land on.
I got number 3 mixed up with the runway can't edit post. Twin lakes is straight south off he end of the runway. I can't see how he was so low when it's 1.26 miles from the south end of the runway 3 to the power lines. From the sound of his last radio transmission the engine was still running what ever happend it caught him by surprise he didn't seem concerned at all.
ReplyDeleteA few observations:
ReplyDelete1. Accident happened after sunset
2. The FAA chart supplement for KGYR includes the following note: E-W PWR LINES 100 FT AGL 1/2 MILE S AER 03 UNMKD & UNLGTD SOME NSTD MARKING.
3. Runway 3 has a 4-light PAPI
4. The power lines are depicted on the relevant sectional chart
I didn't see those other lines google maps follow along Broadway.
ReplyDeleteflightaware recent ACTIVITY LOG for N3371U
ReplyDeleteDate Aircraft Origin Destination Departure Arrival Duration
21-Dec-2019 C182 Phoenix Goodyear (KGYR) Phoenix Goodyear (KGYR) 18:14 MST 18:22 MST 0:08
20-Dec-2019 . C182 Glendale Muni (KGEU) Phoenix Goodyear (KGYR) 14:41 MST 14:50 MST 0:09
Why are those lines there 100 feet high right off the end of a runway???? I don't know how many others have hit those lines. All I hear all the time at work is how safety is at highest priority yet the company installs lines off the south end of an airport? If you going to preach safety maybe you should look at hazard's you created now one of our own is dead because of it. News media should be looking into this
ReplyDeleteWires appear to be about 3000' from the end of the runway /4000' from the TDZ.
ReplyDeleteWith so many wires that appear to be quite high fairly close to the runway I would hope for obstruction lighting ... Enough to get them to stand out. The picture where the emergency vehicles illuminate the wires gives quite an impressive view of the situation.
RIP