Private pilot of an small aircraft single engine land aircraft struck cut an electrical line with ai...

Attributes
ACN	238923
Time
Date	199304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wa13
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 60 msl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 282 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	238923
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had descended to about 60-100 ft above the river to fly by the cabin where my family was staying to let them know I had arrived (they were to pick me up at the airport). As I flew along the river, I saw a pwrline phone line in front of me that I couldn't see on my first flight by at a higher altitude in the opposite direction. I maneuvered to avoid the line, but didn't have time, and cut the line with the main landing gear leg (no markings on lines). Flying low in an area not familiar enough with. Maintain higher altitude and other means of notifying people on ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had been contacted by the FAA by letter and telephone regarding the investigation of this incident. He is not sure if they are going to take certificate action since they have indicated it is a remote area, even though it was only 3 mi from the small airport, and the fact that a NASA report had been filed. He further stated that he has learned a valuable lesson and will not operate at such an unnecessary low altitude in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT STRUCK CUT AN ELECTRICAL LINE WITH ACFT'S LNDG GEAR. THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: I HAD DSNDED TO ABOUT 60-100 FT ABOVE THE RIVER TO FLY BY THE CABIN WHERE MY FAMILY WAS STAYING TO LET THEM KNOW I HAD ARRIVED (THEY WERE TO PICK ME UP AT THE ARPT). AS I FLEW ALONG THE RIVER, I SAW A PWRLINE PHONE LINE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I COULDN'T SEE ON MY FIRST FLT BY AT A HIGHER ALT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I MANEUVERED TO AVOID THE LINE, BUT DIDN'T HAVE TIME, AND CUT THE LINE WITH THE MAIN LNDG GEAR LEG (NO MARKINGS ON LINES). FLYING LOW IN AN AREA NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH. MAINTAIN HIGHER ALT AND OTHER MEANS OF NOTIFYING PEOPLE ON GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY THE FAA BY LETTER AND TELEPHONE REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT. HE IS NOT SURE IF THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE CERTIFICATE ACTION SINCE THEY HAVE INDICATED IT IS A REMOTE AREA, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 3 MI FROM THE SMALL ARPT, AND THE FACT THAT A NASA RPT HAD BEEN FILED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAS LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON AND WILL NOT OPERATE AT SUCH AN UNNECESSARY LOW ALT IN THE FUTURE.

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.

Private pilot of an small aircraft single engine land aircraft struck cut an electrical line with aircraft's landing gear. The aircraft landed safely with no damage to the aircraft.