Narrative:

I was 5 mi from the airport of intended landing. I descended from 1000 ft AGL to 40 ft over 4.5 mi. As I approached the airport I flew through a power line, severing it with the propeller. This approach was to have been a low approach only, then climbing to pattern altitude for a normal pattern and landing. All events following the wire strike were normal with an uneventful landing. I was familiar with the layout of the airport and simply failed to react in time to clear the wire. I was fortunate that the propeller cut the wire or an embarrassing situation could have been critical. Damage to the plane was superficial, scraped paint on the propeller and a wingtip. I'm glad I can reflect on this event and how it will make me a safer pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR PLT ON APCH AND PLANNING LOW APCH GOT TOO LOW PRIOR TO THE ARPT AND FLEW THROUGH PWR LINE SEVERING IT. RPTR LANDED INSTEAD OF A LOW APCH.

Narrative: I WAS 5 MI FROM THE ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG. I DSNDED FROM 1000 FT AGL TO 40 FT OVER 4.5 MI. AS I APCHED THE ARPT I FLEW THROUGH A PWR LINE, SEVERING IT WITH THE PROP. THIS APCH WAS TO HAVE BEEN A LOW APCH ONLY, THEN CLBING TO PATTERN ALT FOR A NORMAL PATTERN AND LNDG. ALL EVENTS FOLLOWING THE WIRE STRIKE WERE NORMAL WITH AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE ARPT AND SIMPLY FAILED TO REACT IN TIME TO CLR THE WIRE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE PROP CUT THE WIRE OR AN EMBARRASSING SIT COULD HAVE BEEN CRITICAL. DAMAGE TO THE PLANE WAS SUPERFICIAL, SCRAPED PAINT ON THE PROP AND A WINGTIP. I'M GLAD I CAN REFLECT ON THIS EVENT AND HOW IT WILL MAKE ME A SAFER PLT.

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.