Small aircraft hit power lines while talking to truckers on C.B.

Attributes
ACN	229315
Time
Date	199212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : e02
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	229315
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft departed peq for E02. Field at peq is roughly 2600 ft MSL. Climbed to 3500 ft and as I flew east along highway, I began to visit on citizens band with some friends in 18 wheelers. Being in the used truck parts business, I know many of these guys. After passing monahans, I talked to the last one who was headed so on 18. Knowing that the terrain began to rise, I took off the circuit breaker headphones and was about to increase cruise speed and altitude when I was aware the airplane had struck something. I didn't know what but I suspected maybe an antenna. The airplane seemed to fly normally, so I released my seat belt and inspected both main gear to be ok. Since I could not see the nose gear, I called a friend at E02 to visually check nose gear. I made low pass, he informed me that nose gear was intact, however, I was towing some length of cable. I landed airplane safely and at that time was informed by texas dps and sheriff's office of the power line strike. I had been preoccupied with my visiting on the radio and had failed to keep a good altitude. I don't know yet how high the cable was. The airplane has minor damage to propeller spinner and some small nicks in propeller which I hope can be filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HIT PWR LINES WHILE TALKING TO TRUCKERS ON C.B.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED PEQ FOR E02. FIELD AT PEQ IS ROUGHLY 2600 FT MSL. CLBED TO 3500 FT AND AS I FLEW E ALONG HWY, I BEGAN TO VISIT ON CITIZENS BAND WITH SOME FRIENDS IN 18 WHEELERS. BEING IN THE USED TRUCK PARTS BUSINESS, I KNOW MANY OF THESE GUYS. AFTER PASSING MONAHANS, I TALKED TO THE LAST ONE WHO WAS HEADED SO ON 18. KNOWING THAT THE TERRAIN BEGAN TO RISE, I TOOK OFF THE CB HEADPHONES AND WAS ABOUT TO INCREASE CRUISE SPD AND ALT WHEN I WAS AWARE THE AIRPLANE HAD STRUCK SOMETHING. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT BUT I SUSPECTED MAYBE AN ANTENNA. THE AIRPLANE SEEMED TO FLY NORMALLY, SO I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT AND INSPECTED BOTH MAIN GEAR TO BE OK. SINCE I COULD NOT SEE THE NOSE GEAR, I CALLED A FRIEND AT E02 TO VISUALLY CHK NOSE GEAR. I MADE LOW PASS, HE INFORMED ME THAT NOSE GEAR WAS INTACT, HOWEVER, I WAS TOWING SOME LENGTH OF CABLE. I LANDED AIRPLANE SAFELY AND AT THAT TIME WAS INFORMED BY TEXAS DPS AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE OF THE PWR LINE STRIKE. I HAD BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH MY VISITING ON THE RADIO AND HAD FAILED TO KEEP A GOOD ALT. I DON'T KNOW YET HOW HIGH THE CABLE WAS. THE AIRPLANE HAS MINOR DAMAGE TO PROP SPINNER AND SOME SMALL NICKS IN PROP WHICH I HOPE CAN BE FILED.

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.