March 7, Manilla, Ark. / Cessna 172

At 16:49 CST, a Cessna 172M struck power lines while maneuvering near Manilla. The pilot and rear seat passenger suffered minor injuries and the front seat passenger was not injured. The two passengers said they were flying low over Mallard Lake to survey bass fishing spots when the pilot climbed over a tree-line and struck power lines. The pilot said the last altitude he recalled seeing was 800 feet and that the engine began malfunctioning, at which point he set up for landing in a field and struck the power lines. The airplanes spinner was found directly below two broken shield wires for a 500,000-volt transmission line. The broken wires had been suspended about 120 feet agl. During the forced landing, the aircraft flipped inverted.