C172 pilot while flying VFR below 500 ft encounters power lines and flies below the lines.

Attributes
ACN	698215
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 5r3.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 500
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 : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	698215
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I departed from 5r3 with a friend on a sightseeing flight over lake travis to find a friend on his new boat for a photo opportunity. I attempted to stay at 500 ft above the water and obstacles. While we were both watching the water I got off altitude; rounded a bend in the lake and saw wires crossing the lake from a high hill to my right. My immediate reaction was to duck; so I flew under the wires thinking I could dive under safer than I could try to out-climb them. After passing under them I then climbed back to my 500 ft and continued up the lake and entered the pattern for 3r9 which is 300 ft above the water level. Then I left the lakeway pattern and followed the lake back to 5r3; and landed. I had borrowed the plane without asking but I did have this arrangement with the owner. He later told me I was called in for being too low. I had flown the lake in the past but this time I was taken by surprise. There were far more boats out than I was used to seeing. I feel like I made the safest choice when I saw the wires ahead. I plan to stay away from the lake during busy times and watch my altitude much more closely in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT WHILE FLYING VFR BELOW 500 FT ENCOUNTERS PWR LINES AND FLIES BELOW THE LINES.

Narrative: I DEPARTED FROM 5R3 WITH A FRIEND ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT OVER LAKE TRAVIS TO FIND A FRIEND ON HIS NEW BOAT FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. I ATTEMPTED TO STAY AT 500 FT ABOVE THE WATER AND OBSTACLES. WHILE WE WERE BOTH WATCHING THE WATER I GOT OFF ALT; ROUNDED A BEND IN THE LAKE AND SAW WIRES XING THE LAKE FROM A HIGH HILL TO MY R. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO DUCK; SO I FLEW UNDER THE WIRES THINKING I COULD DIVE UNDER SAFER THAN I COULD TRY TO OUT-CLB THEM. AFTER PASSING UNDER THEM I THEN CLBED BACK TO MY 500 FT AND CONTINUED UP THE LAKE AND ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR 3R9 WHICH IS 300 FT ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL. THEN I LEFT THE LAKEWAY PATTERN AND FOLLOWED THE LAKE BACK TO 5R3; AND LANDED. I HAD BORROWED THE PLANE WITHOUT ASKING BUT I DID HAVE THIS ARRANGEMENT WITH THE OWNER. HE LATER TOLD ME I WAS CALLED IN FOR BEING TOO LOW. I HAD FLOWN THE LAKE IN THE PAST BUT THIS TIME I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE. THERE WERE FAR MORE BOATS OUT THAN I WAS USED TO SEEING. I FEEL LIKE I MADE THE SAFEST CHOICE WHEN I SAW THE WIRES AHEAD. I PLAN TO STAY AWAY FROM THE LAKE DURING BUSY TIMES AND WATCH MY ALT MUCH MORE CLOSELY IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.