Pilot on spray run hits and breaks power line.

Attributes
ACN	150574
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pll airport : sqi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 25 agl bound upper : 25
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 198 flight time total : 6915 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	150574
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While applying insecticide to corn, my aircraft flew into the bottom wire of a set of high tension electric cables. Before beginning work in the field, I surveyed the obstacles by flying around the perimeter of the field. The power lines ran northeast-southwest across the field and I determined that flying under the wires was the safest way to treat the field. As I treated the field I flew under the lines once, then began treatment on the south edge of field when I discovered I was not low enough to pass under the line and my right top wing struck the line and broke it. The accident occurred at xx:pm on june tue, 1990. The sun and hazy obstructed my vision. My actions were to lower the aircraft to avoid the wire. These electric lines are a hazard to safe flight, because of their closeness to the ground. These same power lines created a hazard for another aerial applicator in 1968. The lower line obstructs safe flight. The FAA's investigation resulted in no actions against the pilot. The flight operation was deemed to be appropriate for the situation. The main factors contributing to human performance were the sun's position and hazy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON SPRAY RUN HITS AND BREAKS POWER LINE.

Narrative: WHILE APPLYING INSECTICIDE TO CORN, MY ACFT FLEW INTO THE BOTTOM WIRE OF A SET OF HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC CABLES. BEFORE BEGINNING WORK IN THE FIELD, I SURVEYED THE OBSTACLES BY FLYING AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD. THE PWR LINES RAN NE-SW ACROSS THE FIELD AND I DETERMINED THAT FLYING UNDER THE WIRES WAS THE SAFEST WAY TO TREAT THE FIELD. AS I TREATED THE FIELD I FLEW UNDER THE LINES ONCE, THEN BEGAN TREATMENT ON THE S EDGE OF FIELD WHEN I DISCOVERED I WAS NOT LOW ENOUGH TO PASS UNDER THE LINE AND MY R TOP WING STRUCK THE LINE AND BROKE IT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT XX:PM ON JUNE TUE, 1990. THE SUN AND HAZY OBSTRUCTED MY VISION. MY ACTIONS WERE TO LOWER THE ACFT TO AVOID THE WIRE. THESE ELECTRIC LINES ARE A HAZARD TO SAFE FLT, BECAUSE OF THEIR CLOSENESS TO THE GND. THESE SAME PWR LINES CREATED A HAZARD FOR ANOTHER AERIAL APPLICATOR IN 1968. THE LOWER LINE OBSTRUCTS SAFE FLT. THE FAA'S INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN NO ACTIONS AGAINST THE PLT. THE FLT OPERATION WAS DEEMED TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SITUATION. THE MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO HUMAN PERFORMANCE WERE THE SUN'S POS AND HAZY.

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.