Wire Strike Info

[Ol Shy & Bashful]

I am compiling information on wire strikes for both airplanes and
helicopters. I would appreciate any help you may give. Stories, news
clips, videos,pics, etc. I much prefer actual stories and not hangar
rumor (got plenty of that already). I have some info from NTSB but feel
there is a lot of info out there with some help in directions to access
it.
In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes. It includes
one wire strike at night in helicopter. Any help or suggestions to
gather more info are most welcome.
Ol shy & bashful

[Owen[_1_]]

Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:

> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.

How did the wires make out?

[Ol Shy & Bashful]

Owen wrote:
> Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
>
> > In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> > in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
>
> How did the wires make out?
Owen
Most of them seperated as a result of the wire strike protection kits
installed. Sure didn't make them any less scary though! One or two of
them simply stretched and then slipped off with a big sag between the
supports. The VAST majority were simple electric service wires going to
houses, or barns, or well pumps, and a few telephone wires tossed in.
Some barbed wire from a fence that finally broke off after the gear
shook it loose.
Fortunately no steel guy wires to cut off my wings or rotor blades but
the one I hit at night was a steel horizontal support wire between two
poles. The wire chattered off the blade and left chipped paint marks on
the leading edge and back about 2-3". That one scared crap out of me
and I was really lucky to get it back on the ground without a blade
blowing up after the tip cap was nearly torn off. Blades had to be
replaced but were nearly out of time anyway. I still shake my head
looking at the photos of that one!
Ol S&B
BTW I am not all that unusual with the wire strikes or numbers as a
long time pilot in aerial application. Common for nearly all of us but
with greatly varying results/outcomes.
Same with bird strikes. I've had hundreds of them including more than a
few that came into the cockpit with me.

[john smith]

In article om>,
"Ol Shy & Bashful" > wrote:

> I am compiling information on wire strikes for both airplanes and
> helicopters. I would appreciate any help you may give. Stories, news
> clips, videos,pics, etc. I much prefer actual stories and not hangar
> rumor (got plenty of that already). I have some info from NTSB but feel
> there is a lot of info out there with some help in directions to access
> it.
> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes. It includes
> one wire strike at night in helicopter. Any help or suggestions to
> gather more info are most welcome.
> Ol shy & bashful

There is a photo floating around of a Cessna 150/152 hanging upside down
in high-tension wires at Seattle's Boeing Field, maybe two years ago?

There is the footage of the Cessna 172 with a student and instructor
that tried to land on the road by a golf course in Florida last Fall.
The aircraft struck telephone/electric wires and crashed. The instructor
was killed.

Other readers will recognize these and hopefully post other links.

[Frank Ch. Eigler]

"Ol Shy & Bashful" > writes:

> I am compiling information on wire strikes for both airplanes and
> helicopters. I would appreciate any help you may give. Stories [...]

This is second-hand, but if someone was interested I may be able to
get a first-hand version. One of my old instructors flew in an Aztec
back in the 70s, performing a non-precision instrument approach into a
major Canadian airport, when due to a combination of instrument errors
and other factors, he descended prematurely / too far, and hit some
power wires near the airport boundary. As I recall the story, part of
the tail came off, and the airplane smacked into the ground in a
nearly level attitude. Major damage to the airplane but no injuries.
He's still fond of Aztecs.

- FChE

[Jim Macklin]

Insurance companies


"Ol Shy & Bashful" > wrote in message
ups.com...
|I am compiling information on wire strikes for both
airplanes and
| helicopters. I would appreciate any help you may give.
Stories, news
| clips, videos,pics, etc. I much prefer actual stories and
not hangar
| rumor (got plenty of that already). I have some info from
NTSB but feel
| there is a lot of info out there with some help in
directions to access
| it.
| In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and
logged them
| in aerial application operations with no resulting
crashes. It includes
| one wire strike at night in helicopter. Any help or
suggestions to
| gather more info are most welcome.
| Ol shy & bashful
|

[Kyle Boatright]

"Ol Shy & Bashful" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I am compiling information on wire strikes for both airplanes and
> helicopters. I would appreciate any help you may give. Stories, news
> clips, videos,pics, etc. I much prefer actual stories and not hangar
> rumor (got plenty of that already). I have some info from NTSB but feel
> there is a lot of info out there with some help in directions to access
> it.
> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes. It includes
> one wire strike at night in helicopter. Any help or suggestions to
> gather more info are most welcome.
> Ol shy & bashful

A piper ran out of fuel and ended up stuck in some big transmission lines
near Kennesaw, GA 4 or 5 years ago. My power blinked momentarily, as I only
lived a couple of miles away. Apparently, the pilot saw a long, straight
dark area and was trying to dead-stick the airplane to a landing. The wires
caught the plane. If I remember correctly, there were no fatalities.

You should be able to find the story on-line somewhere.

KB

[Dave Doe]

In article om>,
says...
>
> Owen wrote:
> > Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
> >
> > > In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> > > in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
> >
> > How did the wires make out?
> Owen
> Most of them seperated as a result of the wire strike protection kits
> installed. Sure didn't make them any less scary though! One or two of
> them simply stretched and then slipped off with a big sag between the
> supports. The VAST majority were simple electric service wires going to
> houses, or barns, or well pumps, and a few telephone wires tossed in.
> Some barbed wire from a fence that finally broke off after the gear
> shook it loose.
> Fortunately no steel guy wires to cut off my wings or rotor blades but
> the one I hit at night was a steel horizontal support wire between two
> poles. The wire chattered off the blade and left chipped paint marks on
> the leading edge and back about 2-3". That one scared crap out of me
> and I was really lucky to get it back on the ground without a blade
> blowing up after the tip cap was nearly torn off. Blades had to be
> replaced but were nearly out of time anyway. I still shake my head
> looking at the photos of that one!
> Ol S&B
> BTW I am not all that unusual with the wire strikes or numbers as a
> long time pilot in aerial application. Common for nearly all of us but
> with greatly varying results/outcomes.
> Same with bird strikes. I've had hundreds of them including more than a
> few that came into the cockpit with me.

What is the deal with the farmers (or whoever) that should have pointed
out all the 'obstacles' to you when you do your breifing with them? Do
you do your naanaa or what? :)

--
Duncan

[Ol Shy & Bashful]

Duncan
Normally a pilot will do both a recon on the ground, and one when they
fly over the field. Sometimes the pilot never talks to the farmer or
customer but is just given a map and the chemical/rate/when, etc.
Sometimes the wires are indicated on the map but frequently the maps
are drawn by someone who doesn't see it from the pilots perspective.
And, sometimes the clearance under the wires are not the same as crops
grow, like corn thast grows to 8'...... During the day when temps go
up, wires will stretch and sag, then tighten up again when it cools
down. Or, you get a little gust of wind thast picks you up into the
wires, or you get distracted by birds, or wild life that jumps up out
of the field, or you just lose your focus/concentration thinkin g about
something else like the next field, or ...???? Often a wire strike
occurs even though the pilot KNOWS the wire is there. Hard to
understand until you have been in that kind of position which most
pilots will never be. But, it only takes once for the unwary or
unprepared pilot to become involved in a fatal accident with a wire
strike. That, in part, is why I am gathering as much info as I can from
varied sources. Eventually I'll incorporate it into safety seminars.
Cheers
Rocky
Dave Doe wrote:
> In article om>,
> says...
> >
> > Owen wrote:
> > > Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
> > >
> > > > In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
> > > > in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
> > >
> > > How did the wires make out?
> > Owen
> > Most of them seperated as a result of the wire strike protection kits
> > installed. Sure didn't make them any less scary though! One or two of
> > them simply stretched and then slipped off with a big sag between the
> > supports. The VAST majority were simple electric service wires going to
> > houses, or barns, or well pumps, and a few telephone wires tossed in.
> > Some barbed wire from a fence that finally broke off after the gear
> > shook it loose.
> > Fortunately no steel guy wires to cut off my wings or rotor blades but
> > the one I hit at night was a steel horizontal support wire between two
> > poles. The wire chattered off the blade and left chipped paint marks on
> > the leading edge and back about 2-3". That one scared crap out of me
> > and I was really lucky to get it back on the ground without a blade
> > blowing up after the tip cap was nearly torn off. Blades had to be
> > replaced but were nearly out of time anyway. I still shake my head
> > looking at the photos of that one!
> > Ol S&B
> > BTW I am not all that unusual with the wire strikes or numbers as a
> > long time pilot in aerial application. Common for nearly all of us but
> > with greatly varying results/outcomes.
> > Same with bird strikes. I've had hundreds of them including more than a
> > few that came into the cockpit with me.
>
> What is the deal with the farmers (or whoever) that should have pointed
> out all the 'obstacles' to you when you do your breifing with them? Do
> you do your naanaa or what? :)
>
> --
> Duncan

[AES]

Lots of aviation mishap pictures, including (I think) some power line
hangups) at

<http://www.micom.net/oops/>

[Terry[_1_]]

Owen wrote:
>
> Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
>
>> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
>> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
>
> How did the wires make out?
>
Maybe a better question to pose would be: 18 wire strikes? Why didn't
you figure out the problem in the first one or two strikes?

[Newps]

Terry wrote:

> Owen wrote:
>
>>
>> Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
>>
>>> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
>>> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
>>
>>
>> How did the wires make out?
>>
> Maybe a better question to pose would be: 18 wire strikes? Why didn't
> you figure out the problem in the first one or two strikes?




Because it's a made up number and would ruin a good story.

[DaveB]

On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:02:57 -0700, Terry > wrote:

>Owen wrote:
>>
>> Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
>>
>>> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged them
>>> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
>>
>> How did the wires make out?
>>
>Maybe a better question to pose would be: 18 wire strikes? Why didn't
>you figure out the problem in the first one or two strikes?


After about 6-7, I would quit flying.

Best

Daveb

[Jim Carter[_1_]]

I'm not too sure about wires, but there is a duster working out in the
panhandle of Oklahoma that had a bull strike. The bull wasn't to be in
the field and he tried to herd it with his Pawnee (I think), only to hit
it and kill it -- taking the left main gear off the bird. Naturally he
was still loaded so he went ahead and sprayed, then flew up to Guymon
where there was a mechanic who could work on the thing. He set is down
in the grass beside the runway and didn't even tear up the boom any
worse than what the gear did when it went rearward.

He swears that damn cow could jump at least 12' in the air...but he
still had to pay for his damages and the cow. I wouldn't have believed
it if he hadn't been showing us the photos of the damage and his buddies
attested to him paying for the cow.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Terry ]
> Posted At: Thursday, August 17, 2006 1:03 PM
> Posted To: rec.aviation.piloting
> Conversation: Wire Strike Info
> Subject: Re: Wire Strike Info
>
> Owen wrote:
> >
> > Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
> >
> >> In my 50+ years of flying, I've hit at least 18 wires and logged
them
> >> in aerial application operations with no resulting crashes.
> >
> > How did the wires make out?
> >
> Maybe a better question to pose would be: 18 wire strikes? Why didn't
> you figure out the problem in the first one or two strikes?