Agricultural pilot struck power lines while spraying.

Attributes
ACN	144665
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6ts3
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 620 msl bound upper : 620
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 21000
ASRS Report	144665
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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:

Struck a 2-WIRE highline with aircraft propeller while spraying pesticide on agricultural crop (wheat). Line was extremely hard to see for 2 reasons: the distance between the line poles was approximately 200 yds; also, the line crossed this 350 acre field diagonally and may not have even been in use (didn't seem to run to any certain house). Would suggest power companies be required to use more line poles so the power lines would be more easily identifiable and wouldn't tend to 'droop.' furthermore, power companies should be required to dismantle all lines not in use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGRICULTURAL PLT STRUCK POWER LINES WHILE SPRAYING.

Narrative: STRUCK A 2-WIRE HIGHLINE WITH ACFT PROP WHILE SPRAYING PESTICIDE ON AGRICULTURAL CROP (WHEAT). LINE WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE FOR 2 REASONS: THE DISTANCE BTWN THE LINE POLES WAS APPROX 200 YDS; ALSO, THE LINE CROSSED THIS 350 ACRE FIELD DIAGONALLY AND MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN IN USE (DIDN'T SEEM TO RUN TO ANY CERTAIN HOUSE). WOULD SUGGEST PWR COMPANIES BE REQUIRED TO USE MORE LINE POLES SO THE PWR LINES WOULD BE MORE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE AND WOULDN'T TEND TO 'DROOP.' FURTHERMORE, PWR COMPANIES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DISMANTLE ALL LINES NOT IN USE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.