Watch them wires

you always hear about one guy a year who runs his snowmobile through a wire fence with predictable results. glad this one didn't end up the same way.
 
NC Pilot said:
This one was lucky. I have also seen a 172 with the vertical tail neatly severed by a wire, but this story has miracle written all over it.

http://www.wanttaja.com/avlinks/wire.htm
Click to expand...
Yes indeed, that was lucky.

I have become much more circumspect about wires since I stared flying helicopters -- wire strikes are the leading cause of accidents, and they're almost always fatal.

Here's a couple of things I was taught to be aware of when low. Never, ever, cross high tension wires between the towers -- you can't reliably see the wires -- always cross over a tower. Never fly near an antenna or other tower if you are lower than the top of the tower -- there may be guy wires and you probably won't see them.
 
NC Pilot said:
This one was lucky. I have also seen a 172 with the vertical tail neatly severed by a wire, but this story has miracle written all over it.

http://www.wanttaja.com/avlinks/wire.htm
Click to expand...

Ouch, when I was in Australia flying the Goana tour, they were explaining to us why 500 agl was our minimum altitude, then they hauled out the vertical stabilizer of a 172 with the top 1 foot missing. It was hacked off by a powerline as well. The pilots flew the thing to the next destination and did not even know they did it (or so they said)

Don
 
I have often wondered abt the physics of a wire strike in a light airplane...
does it:

a) always remove an important part of the airplane, rendering it unairworthy?
b)slow the airplane down to below a controllable speed like a huge elastic band causing it to plummet out of a stall?
c) cause unconsciousness (whiplash/head injuries) to the occupants, leaving no one at the helm?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have often wondered abt the physics of a wire strike in a light airplane...
does it:

a) always remove an important part of the airplane, rendering it unairworthy?
b)slow the airplane down to below a controllable speed like a huge elastic band causing it to plummet out of a stall?
c) cause unconsciousness (whiplash/head injuries) to the occupants, leaving no one at the helm?
Click to expand...

what about:
d) Cut the wire

I've always wondered if that ever happens.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have often wondered abt the physics of a wire strike in a light airplane...
does it:

a) always remove an important part of the airplane, rendering it unairworthy?
b)slow the airplane down to below a controllable speed like a huge elastic band causing it to plummet out of a stall?
c) cause unconsciousness (whiplash/head injuries) to the occupants, leaving no one at the helm?
Click to expand...

One other thing that can happen is that two of the conductors are pulled into contact with each other and the ensueing arch either:
1. causes both wires to break.
2. causes the plane to vaporize.
 
I've had 14 wire strikes. Damage ranged from didn't even know I hit it, to a severely dinged prop with slap marks on the wings. The most spectacular strike was hitting the wires longways. Dove over a pole, cut all 4 wires, and managed to pull up before getting to the next pole. The blue light show really got my attention as it was dusk.

It helps to be in an airplane designed for wire strikes with cutters on the gear legs and windshield, and a wire deflector cable from the cabin top to the top of the tail.

I wouldn't want to try it in a Warrior or 172.
 
There's obviously way more to that story than is being let on right now... care to expand on that?
 
gkainz said:
There's obviously way more to that story than is being let on right now... care to expand on that?
Click to expand...

My guess is he was flying a crop duster if he's had 14 wire strikes in a plane equipped for it. Either that, or a police chopper.
 
gkainz said:
There's obviously way more to that story than is being let on right now... care to expand on that?
Click to expand...

14 strikes over 20 years of ag flying. That's 6 accident free years!:yes:

The longways strike was just dumb. I'd been flying back and forth under that wire set for about 3 hours. The wire line was about 100 ft inside the border of the field. I finished the field just before full dark, turned and made a trim pass along the end, turned again for a second trim pass. I couldn't believe it when the light show started.

Pays to be lucky...if you call that luck. At least I didn't hit a pole.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have often wondered abt the physics of a wire strike in a light airplane...
does it:

a) always remove an important part of the airplane, rendering it unairworthy?
b)slow the airplane down to below a controllable speed like a huge elastic band causing it to plummet out of a stall?
c) cause unconsciousness (whiplash/head injuries) to the occupants, leaving no one at the helm?
Click to expand...

Once when I was on final, a Tomahawk (or Skipper I forget which) on final to the parallel runway at my home base hit high-tension wires about 3 miles from the runway. He took out two big wires plus the lightning wire on top and crashed about150 feet past the wires. He survived the crash but was injured badly enough he was airlifted to a trauma center. The plane was pretty mangled, but it wasn't easy to tell how much happened on the wire contact vs impacting the ground. Given the steep angle between the point he hit the wires and ended up on the ground, I'm pretty certain the wires dropped his speed to something below stall.
 
Working line at a small airport I saw a 172 with the leading edge of the right wing bent into a > shape from about 6 inches out board of the strut to where the tip would have been. (it was gone) The guy who owned it had hit a wire landing at his farm the night before. The really scary part was he got in it the next day and flew it back in to town with out even having someone inspect it first.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have often wondered abt the physics of a wire strike in a light airplane...
does it:
Click to expand...

Can't say about how it affects an airplane, but I can tell you about the result
of a motorcycle striking a telephone wire. Motortcycle (and rider) loses.
 
Frank Browne said:
Can't say about how it affects an airplane, but I can tell you about the result
of a motorcycle striking a telephone wire. Motortcycle (and rider) loses.
Click to expand...
Same with a helicopter without wire cutters, and they don't always save you either.
 
Frank Browne said:
Can't say about how it affects an airplane, but I can tell you about the result
of a motorcycle striking a telephone wire. Motortcycle (and rider) loses.
Click to expand...

Same with high speed snowmobiler, got an arm paralysed for life.
 
More or less it just depends on the airplane, your energy, and the strength of the wire.

I know my dad and grandpa took out many wires crop dusting. I beleive the Callair had a wire cutter whereas I doubt the stearman did. Most of the time the wires that you strike crop dusting are small wires that are leading to a building site and tend to rip off the polls.

If you take a look at many of the crop dusting aircraft you will see a wire ran from the cockpit back to the tail..It's purpose is to deflect the wire over your tail so you don't lose the tail.

There really is no excuse to be hitting wires in a Cessna or a Piper. Your exposure to a wire strike situation should be almost zero to none. Whereas crop dusting you are constantly exposed.
 
jangell said:
There really is no excuse to be hitting wires in a Cessna or a Piper. Your exposure to a wire strike situation should be almost zero to none. Whereas crop dusting you are constantly exposed.
Click to expand...

I've always wondered if it is so neccessary for the high number of crop dusting wire strikes?
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
I've always wondered if it is so neccessary for the high number of crop dusting wire strikes?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say they're necessary, but when you consider the level of exposure, the number is really pretty small. The guys I worked with had a grand total of one strike in 10 years.

Birds actually caused more damage in the sprayplanes I was around.

Fly safe!

David
 
ive always thought that i would enjoy crop dusting for a couple days, especially if i got the big wide long fields with clear approaches. that would be nice. intense flying though, good money, but hard work.
 
Unfortunately I can tell you what happens when an airplane strikes wires. It scares the hell out of you first of all, then when you realize you're not dead you get a little excited. It tears an airplane up pretty good but you can still manage to fly on and make a darn good landing with no windscreen and a bunch of wind in your face. It also hurts the wallet a little bit. Moral of the story, flying low isn't nearly as "cool" as I once thought it was. Glad to be here!!!
 
That horizontal vertical stabilator proves that those of us who fly Pipers don't need that rudder thingee.
 
tonycondon said:
ive always thought that i would enjoy crop dusting for a couple days, especially if i got the big wide long fields with clear approaches. that would be nice. intense flying though, good money, but hard work.
Click to expand...

I've thought the same thing, Tony.. When I called the cropduster that I worked ground crew for for 3 years to tell him that I had taken another year-round job so I could support myself year-round, he said "You should just get your Comm and come fly for me. You can support yourself year-round then!" I thought "Why the heck didn't you tell me that 2 weeks ago before I started looking for another job!?"

I talked to him a few weeks ago to see how their season is going. I mentioned that I was going back to school this January and he said "Well, I know where you can work during the summer!" His son, who is the same age as me, works there as well and has been trying to talk him into getting a Ag-Truck or something like that for him to learn in. I think they are actually thinking about shopping around for one. If that's the case, maybe I can work out some seat time. That would be pretty interesting! Of course, not as cool as the turbines the other guy flies.. haha.. Of course, I DID get a lesson on starting and taxiing the AT-402 the last summer I worked there.. That's pretty cool --- whirlllll... click click click click... WHOOSH!

-Chris
 
thats pretty cool chris, having a crop duster who likes you is about the only way to get into the business, unless you are the son of one. or daughter i guess. I wonder how many females are in that industry?
 
tonycondon said:
thats pretty cool chris, having a crop duster who likes you is about the only way to get into the business, unless you are the son of one. or daughter i guess. I wonder how many females are in that industry?
Click to expand...


I have yet to meet or even hear about a female cropduster. Not saying there aren't any out there, but I haven't heard of any in my limited circle of knowledge.

-Chris
 
gonvrtd said:
Unfortunately I can tell you what happens when an airplane strikes wires. It also hurts the wallet a little bit. Moral of the story, flying low isn't nearly as "cool" as I once thought it was. Glad to be here!!!
Click to expand...
Chris, I remember when you told me about your wire strike. Perhaps your telling others about that experience will help keep someone from making the same mistake. I'm glad you weren't hurt and only had the financial repercussions to deal with afterwards.
 
Google "Ruthanne Koch" :)

CJones said:
I have yet to meet or even hear about a female cropduster. Not saying there aren't any out there, but I haven't heard of any in my limited circle of knowledge.

-Chris
Click to expand...
 
Chris, I remember when you told me about your wire strike. Perhaps your telling others about that experience will help keep someone from making the same mistake. I'm glad you weren't hurt and only had the financial repercussions to deal with afterwards.
Click to expand...

I hope it will help others make better decisions too!!!
 
There was a pilot who struck a HT line in Seattle near the lake a couple of years ago. He ended up hanging by 1 wheel (C172 I think). The funny part was he said he had done it before on the same line in 1964.
 
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