What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated he flew over the canyon at 800 ft. AGL heading north. He then flew a low pass (approximately 120 ft AGL) from north to south in order to view a cabin at the south end of the canyon. During the low pass the left wing struck an unmarked power line stretching from the bluff to the valley floor. The aircraft then required large right rudder input but would not fly straight. The pilot performed an emergency landing in a field, where, upon touchdown, the nose wheel sank in the mud and sheared off. The aircraft came to a stop. There were no injuries.
Damage was noted along the left wing leading edge outboard of the fuel tank to the wing tip. Damage was also noted to the propeller and engine mount in addition to the nose gear.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW OVER THE CANYON AT 800 FT. AGL HEADING NORTH. HE THEN FLEW A LOW PASS (APPROXIMATELY 120 FT AGL) FROM NORTH TO SOUTH IN ORDER TO VIEW A CABIN AT THE SOUTH END OF THE CANYON. DURING THE LOW PASS THE LEFT WING STRUCK AN UNMARKED POWER LINE STRETCHING FROM THE BLUFF TO THE VALLEY FLOOR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN REQUIRED LARGE RIGHT RUDDER INPUT BUT WOULD NOT FLY STRAIGHT. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, WHERE, UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WHEEL SANK IN THE MUD AND SHEARED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
DAMAGE WAS NOTED ALONG THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE OUTBOARD OF THE FUEL TANK TO THE WING TIP. DAMAGE WAS ALSO NOTED TO THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNT IN ADDITION TO THE NOSE GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.