Aircraft hit power line.

Attributes
ACN	292056
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sc42
State Reference	SC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	292056
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

On left downwind for runway 6, just moved power lever to 16 in hg to slow aircraft. Turned boost pump on and selected carburetor heat. Just starting to turn base when engine lost power. Moved power lever forward with very little change. Selected r- hand tank, no change, could pump power lever and keep engine running somewhat. Turned aircraft to highway 75 (on my r-hand) was going to put it on highway. Made it over 2 sets of power lines and clipped third with tire. At that time aircraft regained full power. I returned to SC42. Inspected aircraft, no problems found. Suspected problem is carburetor icing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a cherokee 6, with the 260 hp 0540 engine. Carburetor ice has been determined to be the villain. The reporter will use carburetor heat earlier in the pattern from now on. There was no damage to the aircraft but the power line was broken. He has not yet gotten a bill from the power company. The FAA is calling this an 'incident' and he has heard nothing further from them. The reporter states that the flight manual for the cherokee 6 does not emphasize the use of carburetor heat when at reduced power. The reporter had been flying at reduced power for some time before entering the traffic pattern and reducing power again without carburetor heat.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HIT PWR LINE.

Narrative: ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 6, JUST MOVED PWR LEVER TO 16 IN HG TO SLOW ACFT. TURNED BOOST PUMP ON AND SELECTED CARB HEAT. JUST STARTING TO TURN BASE WHEN ENG LOST PWR. MOVED PWR LEVER FORWARD WITH VERY LITTLE CHANGE. SELECTED R- HAND TANK, NO CHANGE, COULD PUMP PWR LEVER AND KEEP ENG RUNNING SOMEWHAT. TURNED ACFT TO HWY 75 (ON MY R-HAND) WAS GOING TO PUT IT ON HWY. MADE IT OVER 2 SETS OF PWR LINES AND CLIPPED THIRD WITH TIRE. AT THAT TIME ACFT REGAINED FULL PWR. I RETURNED TO SC42. INSPECTED ACFT, NO PROBS FOUND. SUSPECTED PROB IS CARB ICING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A CHEROKEE 6, WITH THE 260 HP 0540 ENG. CARB ICE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE THE VILLAIN. THE RPTR WILL USE CARB HEAT EARLIER IN THE PATTERN FROM NOW ON. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT BUT THE PWR LINE WAS BROKEN. HE HAS NOT YET GOTTEN A BILL FROM THE PWR COMPANY. THE FAA IS CALLING THIS AN 'INCIDENT' AND HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER FROM THEM. THE RPTR STATES THAT THE FLT MANUAL FOR THE CHEROKEE 6 DOES NOT EMPHASIZE THE USE OF CARB HEAT WHEN AT REDUCED PWR. THE RPTR HAD BEEN FLYING AT REDUCED PWR FOR SOME TIME BEFORE ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN AND REDUCING PWR AGAIN WITHOUT CARB HEAT.

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.