Private pilot of a cessna 172 collided with a cable causing momentary loss of aircraft control and a...

Attributes
ACN	340101
Time
Date	199607
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 02v airport : apa
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 195 flight time type : 195
ASRS Report	340101
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At the north shore of cherry creek, I turned west and flew over denver. I then turned south and flew over castle rock, co. I flew around town for a while and turned east. I headed east for my father's farm in eastern co. I was approximately 15 mi east of castle rock when I heard a loud 'bang' and a few pieces of the windscreen flew at me. I then felt the plane become less stable. I then started to descend from approximately 800 ft AGL to land in a pasture. At approximately 100 ft AGL, the tail began to 'pull' down as if something were dragging it down. I then glanced at the tail, and saw a cable of some sort caught on the tail. The 'dragging' sensation from the tail lasted about 10 seconds, and all of a sudden it stopped. The plane then flew normal with no vibrations and nothing abnormal. Since I had complete control of the plane, I turned around and flew back to centennial. I believe the airborne cable came from a WX balloon that came untethered, or possibly a tow cable from a glider due to the close proximity of the glider port to which I was flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A CESSNA 172 COLLIDED WITH A CABLE CAUSING MOMENTARY LOSS OF ACFT CTL AND A BROKEN WINDSHIELD. IN ADDITION DURING THE FLT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN BELOW THE MSA OVER A CITY (DEN) AND A TOWN, OR SETTLEMENT, CASTLE ROCK.

Narrative: AT THE N SHORE OF CHERRY CREEK, I TURNED W AND FLEW OVER DENVER. I THEN TURNED S AND FLEW OVER CASTLE ROCK, CO. I FLEW AROUND TOWN FOR A WHILE AND TURNED E. I HEADED E FOR MY FATHER'S FARM IN EASTERN CO. I WAS APPROX 15 MI E OF CASTLE ROCK WHEN I HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' AND A FEW PIECES OF THE WINDSCREEN FLEW AT ME. I THEN FELT THE PLANE BECOME LESS STABLE. I THEN STARTED TO DSND FROM APPROX 800 FT AGL TO LAND IN A PASTURE. AT APPROX 100 FT AGL, THE TAIL BEGAN TO 'PULL' DOWN AS IF SOMETHING WERE DRAGGING IT DOWN. I THEN GLANCED AT THE TAIL, AND SAW A CABLE OF SOME SORT CAUGHT ON THE TAIL. THE 'DRAGGING' SENSATION FROM THE TAIL LASTED ABOUT 10 SECONDS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STOPPED. THE PLANE THEN FLEW NORMAL WITH NO VIBRATIONS AND NOTHING ABNORMAL. SINCE I HAD COMPLETE CTL OF THE PLANE, I TURNED AROUND AND FLEW BACK TO CENTENNIAL. I BELIEVE THE AIRBORNE CABLE CAME FROM A WX BALLOON THAT CAME UNTETHERED, OR POSSIBLY A TOW CABLE FROM A GLIDER DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE GLIDER PORT TO WHICH I WAS FLYING.

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 a cessna 172 collided with a cable causing momentary loss of aircraft control and a broken windshield. In addition during the flight he had previously flown below the MSA over a city (den) and a town, or settlement, castle rock.