Agricultural operator encountered whirlwind at low altitude, struck wires.

Attributes
ACN	121103
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 9ne1
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 40 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7680
ASRS Report	121103
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a last pass spray run, across the end of field. Started the pull-up, cleared wires visually when aircraft turned to left and nose down. Used all right rudder to correct. Aircraft went through wires. Had been experiencing dust devils or whirlwinds throughout the day--this one was in irrigated corn field. No debris to pick up--didn't see it. I had not choice except almost get the plane straight before impact with wire. The damage: right wing leading edge about 18' long slapped with wire, paint scratched off nose bowl, 2 wires broke. Reported it within 11 mins to local power company. These whirlwinds occur before a front moves through. They are from 10' to as big as 100' across, and are very powerful. Only way to keep out of them that I am aware of is to not fly on these days. Most of the time they are visible, except where the ground is wet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR ENCOUNTERED WHIRLWIND AT LOW ALT, STRUCK WIRES.

Narrative: I WAS ON A LAST PASS SPRAY RUN, ACROSS THE END OF FIELD. STARTED THE PULL-UP, CLRED WIRES VISUALLY WHEN ACFT TURNED TO LEFT AND NOSE DOWN. USED ALL RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT. ACFT WENT THROUGH WIRES. HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING DUST DEVILS OR WHIRLWINDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY--THIS ONE WAS IN IRRIGATED CORN FIELD. NO DEBRIS TO PICK UP--DIDN'T SEE IT. I HAD NOT CHOICE EXCEPT ALMOST GET THE PLANE STRAIGHT BEFORE IMPACT WITH WIRE. THE DAMAGE: RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE ABOUT 18' LONG SLAPPED WITH WIRE, PAINT SCRATCHED OFF NOSE BOWL, 2 WIRES BROKE. RPTED IT WITHIN 11 MINS TO LCL PWR COMPANY. THESE WHIRLWINDS OCCUR BEFORE A FRONT MOVES THROUGH. THEY ARE FROM 10' TO AS BIG AS 100' ACROSS, AND ARE VERY POWERFUL. ONLY WAY TO KEEP OUT OF THEM THAT I AM AWARE OF IS TO NOT FLY ON THESE DAYS. MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE VISIBLE, EXCEPT WHERE THE GND IS WET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.