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Cloverdale, CA
The aircraft collided with wires following a loss of control. The pilot indicated that he was following a river at 1,500 ft MSL at a slow airspeed when the stall warning sounded. The pilot stated that he lowered the nose in a downdraft and recovered close to the ground. The river elevation is approximately 400 ft MSL in the vicinity of the accident site. The aircraft descended approximately 1,100 ft prior to the collision with the wires. The pilot also indicated the winds were from the NW at 20 kts gusting to 30 kts and that the turbulence was severe. The FAA Advisory Circular 61-21A, entitled 'Flight Training Handbook' states, 'The pilot must promptly recognize the indications of an imminent stall and take timely, positive control action to prevent a full stall. Performance is unsatisfactory if a full stall occurs, if an excessively low pitch attitude is attained, or if the pilot fails to take timely action to avoid excessive loss of altitude.'
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH WIRES FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE WAS FOLLOWING A RIVER AT 1,500 FT MSL AT A SLOW AIRSPEED WHEN THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE NOSE IN A DOWNDRAFT AND RECOVERED CLOSE TO THE GROUND. THE RIVER ELEVATION IS APRX 4OO FT MSL IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ACFT DESCENDED APRX 1100 FT PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH THE WIRES. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED THE WINDS WERE FROM THE NW AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS AND THAT THE TURBULENCE WAS SEVERE. THE FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 61-21A, ENTITLED 'FLIGHT TRAINING HANDBOOK' STATES, 'THE PILOT MUST PROMPTLY RECOGNIZE THE INDICATIONS OF AN IMMINENT STALL AND TAKE TIMELY, POSITIVE CONTROL ACTION TO PREVENT A FULL STALL. PERFORMANCE IS UNSATISFACTORY IF A FULL STALL OCCURS, IF AN EXCESSIVELY LOW PITCH ATTITUDE IS ATTAINED, OR IF THE PILOT FAILS TO TAKE TIMELY ACTION TO AVOID EXCESSIVE LOSS OF ALTITUDE'.