Agricultural helicopter pilot strikes power line while performing realignment maneuver.

Attributes
ACN	790569
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 20
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Bell 47
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 137
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	790569
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was conducting aerial applications with a helicopter. While spraying wheat with fungicide; I had made a few passes to avoid power lines at the end of the field. Commonly; at the end of spraying; you will run parallel with the line to 'clean up' where you left room for climb and descent. Unfortunately; my following of these wires lead me to a 400 ft line I did not see. This resulted in me flying into the wire and damaging the windshield. I realized what happened; continued a safe distance 500 ft from wire; made a safe landing; cooled engine and myself; inspected aircraft -- no spills; no fires; no hazmat; and luckily no injuries. An avoidable incident; a more thorough high reconnaissance of the potential hazards. My focus on one set of wires allowed another to be missed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGRICULTURAL HELI PLT STRIKES POWER LINE WHILE PERFORMING REALIGNMENT MANEUVER.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATIONS WITH A HELI. WHILE SPRAYING WHEAT WITH FUNGICIDE; I HAD MADE A FEW PASSES TO AVOID PWR LINES AT THE END OF THE FIELD. COMMONLY; AT THE END OF SPRAYING; YOU WILL RUN PARALLEL WITH THE LINE TO 'CLEAN UP' WHERE YOU LEFT ROOM FOR CLB AND DSCNT. UNFORTUNATELY; MY FOLLOWING OF THESE WIRES LEAD ME TO A 400 FT LINE I DID NOT SEE. THIS RESULTED IN ME FLYING INTO THE WIRE AND DAMAGING THE WINDSHIELD. I REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED; CONTINUED A SAFE DISTANCE 500 FT FROM WIRE; MADE A SAFE LNDG; COOLED ENG AND MYSELF; INSPECTED ACFT -- NO SPILLS; NO FIRES; NO HAZMAT; AND LUCKILY NO INJURIES. AN AVOIDABLE INCIDENT; A MORE THOROUGH HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS. MY FOCUS ON ONE SET OF WIRES ALLOWED ANOTHER TO BE MISSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.