Small aircraft in low altitude civil operation hits obstruction unmarked power line. CFIT.

Attributes
ACN	266653
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 86u
State Reference	ID
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 50 msl bound lower : 2600 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : boi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	266653
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was checking out a private runway that I had received permission to land at. I planned to make a low pass to check the runway conditions and obstructions. When on my base leg, I noticed power lines on one end of the field. As I was looking at their relationship to the field, I struck a power line perpendicular to my course. I immediately pulled up and checked the ctlability of the aircraft. On finding that it was undamaged and flying well, I flew back to my home field and landed normally. I believe that the major cause of the incident was my lack or division of attention when I was preoccupied with the runway. Also, my judgement was flawed in thinking I had to be so low to check out the field. This incident has changed me significantly as a pilot. I will not be one to check out unknown private fields in the future and I am much more aware of low level obstructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN LOW ALT CIVIL OP HITS OBSTRUCTION UNMARKED PWR LINE. CFIT.

Narrative: I WAS CHKING OUT A PVT RWY THAT I HAD RECEIVED PERMISSION TO LAND AT. I PLANNED TO MAKE A LOW PASS TO CHK THE RWY CONDITIONS AND OBSTRUCTIONS. WHEN ON MY BASE LEG, I NOTICED PWR LINES ON ONE END OF THE FIELD. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIELD, I STRUCK A PWR LINE PERPENDICULAR TO MY COURSE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP AND CHKED THE CTLABILITY OF THE ACFT. ON FINDING THAT IT WAS UNDAMAGED AND FLYING WELL, I FLEW BACK TO MY HOME FIELD AND LANDED NORMALLY. I BELIEVE THAT THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS MY LACK OR DIVISION OF ATTN WHEN I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE RWY. ALSO, MY JUDGEMENT WAS FLAWED IN THINKING I HAD TO BE SO LOW TO CHK OUT THE FIELD. THIS INCIDENT HAS CHANGED ME SIGNIFICANTLY AS A PLT. I WILL NOT BE ONE TO CHK OUT UNKNOWN PVT FIELDS IN THE FUTURE AND I AM MUCH MORE AWARE OF LOW LEVEL OBSTRUCTIONS.

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.