Narrative:

While on a local flight in the vicinity of colorado springs, I was flying along a dirt road about 15 ft above the road. I had been looking at it originally to consider whether or not I could do a touch-and-go on it. The road was in an abandoned pasture with no noticeable obstructions. While flying at the low altitude, I suddenly felt something hit the bottom of the aircraft. I climbed to a higher altitude to analyze the situation and found that the left main gear had been bent back about 20 degrees from normal. I immediately flew to the nearest airfield which was 'springs east.' I made a safe landing with no more damage to the aircraft. The main reason why this incident occurred was due to my inexperience with flying at that level over unfamiliar terrain. Low flying doesn't seem to be a big topic of discussion in the aviation community, however small aircraft pilots frequently engage in this activity (from what I have discussed with other pilots). Perhaps instruction in the hazards of low flying should be incorporated in flight training. My occurrence could have been prevented had I been more aware of potential conflicts when flying at a low altitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: analyst did a callback to counsel. Believe FAA followup and letter reporter had to write made him very aware of his careless flight. He is an air force cadet so has a lot at stake. Analyst mentioned it was somebody's property he damaged as well as the aircraft. He doesn't know what it was, but someone had to repair it. He stated 'believe me I know what I did wrong.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN LOW FLT OVER DIRT ROAD HITS OBSTRUCTION. GEAR BENT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A LCL FLT IN THE VICINITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS, I WAS FLYING ALONG A DIRT ROAD ABOUT 15 FT ABOVE THE ROAD. I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT IT ORIGINALLY TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT I COULD DO A TOUCH-AND-GO ON IT. THE ROAD WAS IN AN ABANDONED PASTURE WITH NO NOTICEABLE OBSTRUCTIONS. WHILE FLYING AT THE LOW ALT, I SUDDENLY FELT SOMETHING HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE ACFT. I CLBED TO A HIGHER ALT TO ANALYZE THE SITUATION AND FOUND THAT THE L MAIN GEAR HAD BEEN BENT BACK ABOUT 20 DEGS FROM NORMAL. I IMMEDIATELY FLEW TO THE NEAREST AIRFIELD WHICH WAS 'SPRINGS E.' I MADE A SAFE LNDG WITH NO MORE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE MAIN REASON WHY THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WAS DUE TO MY INEXPERIENCE WITH FLYING AT THAT LEVEL OVER UNFAMILIAR TERRAIN. LOW FLYING DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY, HOWEVER SMALL ACFT PLTS FREQUENTLY ENGAGE IN THIS ACTIVITY (FROM WHAT I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH OTHER PLTS). PERHAPS INSTRUCTION IN THE HAZARDS OF LOW FLYING SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN FLT TRAINING. MY OCCURRENCE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD I BEEN MORE AWARE OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS WHEN FLYING AT A LOW ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ANALYST DID A CALLBACK TO COUNSEL. BELIEVE FAA FOLLOWUP AND LETTER RPTR HAD TO WRITE MADE HIM VERY AWARE OF HIS CARELESS FLT. HE IS AN AIR FORCE CADET SO HAS A LOT AT STAKE. ANALYST MENTIONED IT WAS SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY HE DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE ACFT. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT SOMEONE HAD TO REPAIR IT. HE STATED 'BELIEVE ME I KNOW WHAT I DID WRONG.'

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.