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GA small aircraft hit power lines while following the interstate highway through the mountains. Aircraft damaged emergency landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 100262 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198812 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gup |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 470 |
| ASRS Report | 100262 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was ferrying an small aircraft from santa maria, ca, to clarksville, tn. On the way over the rocky mountains, I realized that the only way to keep performance of the airplane up was to fly as low as possible. Therefore, I decided to fly in 500' AGL over the interstate 40, which was the road I was following through the mountains. That decision was a bad one, especially over the mountain areas, and was made from lack of experience and bad preparation. As I was flying along, maintaining 500' AGL, just before the incident, I had my attention on my maps too long. When I looked up again, I realized that I was low (approximately 50' AGL). I pulled back on the stick, but too late to avoid the powerlines. The lines broke my windshield. In spite of this, I managed to land the airplane on the interstate with no further damage. I feel what happened was, where I landed on the continental divide, the terrain was rising on my route. And I, not having my attention where it should have been, did not notice my relative descent. I might even have been descending while looking at my maps. Not trying to excuse my own mistake.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMA HIT POWER LINES WHILE FOLLOWING THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. ACFT DAMAGED EMERGENCY LNDG.
Narrative: I WAS FERRYING AN SMA FROM SANTA MARIA, CA, TO CLARKSVILLE, TN. ON THE WAY OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, I REALIZED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRPLANE UP WAS TO FLY AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. THEREFORE, I DECIDED TO FLY IN 500' AGL OVER THE INTERSTATE 40, WHICH WAS THE ROAD I WAS FOLLOWING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. THAT DECISION WAS A BAD ONE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN AREAS, AND WAS MADE FROM LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND BAD PREPARATION. AS I WAS FLYING ALONG, MAINTAINING 500' AGL, JUST BEFORE THE INCIDENT, I HAD MY ATTN ON MY MAPS TOO LONG. WHEN I LOOKED UP AGAIN, I REALIZED THAT I WAS LOW (APPROX 50' AGL). I PULLED BACK ON THE STICK, BUT TOO LATE TO AVOID THE POWERLINES. THE LINES BROKE MY WINDSHIELD. IN SPITE OF THIS, I MANAGED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. I FEEL WHAT HAPPENED WAS, WHERE I LANDED ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, THE TERRAIN WAS RISING ON MY ROUTE. AND I, NOT HAVING MY ATTN WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, DID NOT NOTICE MY RELATIVE DSCNT. I MIGHT EVEN HAVE BEEN DSNDING WHILE LOOKING AT MY MAPS. NOT TRYING TO EXCUSE MY OWN MISTAKE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.