Citabria on approach to private airport hits power lines.

Attributes
ACN	332151
Time
Date	199603
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 01c
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	332151
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly 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 approaching bellamy field, a private airstrip located at newaygo, mi, flying a 7ECA citabria. On final approach to landing, I visually checked my ht above the power lines, my intended touchdown point and then checked my airspeed (70+ mph). When I looked out the windshield, the power lines were directly in front of the airplane with no room for avoiding them. I decided to maintain my attitude, rather than to chance a stall by climbing or damaging the wing by diving. This proved to be the correct decision because I was able to make a normal landing, even though the engine had stopped. The winds were variable and gusting at 10-15 mph (estimated velocity). I'm convinced that the wire strike was due to a windshear which caused a rapid loss of altitude. A witness saw the aircraft lose altitude before the wire strike.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CITABRIA ON APCH TO PVT ARPT HITS PWR LINES.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING BELLAMY FIELD, A PVT AIRSTRIP LOCATED AT NEWAYGO, MI, FLYING A 7ECA CITABRIA. ON FINAL APCH TO LNDG, I VISUALLY CHKED MY HT ABOVE THE PWR LINES, MY INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THEN CHKED MY AIRSPD (70+ MPH). WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDSHIELD, THE PWR LINES WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE WITH NO ROOM FOR AVOIDING THEM. I DECIDED TO MAINTAIN MY ATTITUDE, RATHER THAN TO CHANCE A STALL BY CLBING OR DAMAGING THE WING BY DIVING. THIS PROVED TO BE THE CORRECT DECISION BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL LNDG, EVEN THOUGH THE ENG HAD STOPPED. THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE AND GUSTING AT 10-15 MPH (ESTIMATED VELOCITY). I'M CONVINCED THAT THE WIRE STRIKE WAS DUE TO A WINDSHEAR WHICH CAUSED A RAPID LOSS OF ALT. A WITNESS SAW THE ACFT LOSE ALT BEFORE THE WIRE STRIKE.

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.