CHI98LA075

While flying low along a river, the airplane contacted transmission lines, which were about 100 feet above the terrain. The nose gear was bent back by the collision with the wires. Subsequently, the nose gear collapsed during landing.

On December 31, 1997, at 1450 central standard time, a Piper PA- 28-161, N8465F, operated by a private pilot collided with powerlines while maneuvering over a river in Boone, Iowa. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Following the collision the pilot landed the airplane at the Boone Municipal Airport, Boone, Iowa. The flight originated from the Boone Municipal Airport at 1430 cst.

The pilot reported that after departure he flew over the passengers farm then proceeded to fly over the Ledges State Park at an altitude of about 1,000 feet above the ground. The pilot reported he then continued the flight to the north over Highway 30 toward the Kate Shelley high bridge at which time he descended to give the passengers a better view. He reported that as he "...flew around a bluff we heard a loud thump as the plane was slowed down a bit...." The pilot reported that he did not know at that time what the airplane hit. He reported that following the collision the control yoke was shifted to the left and the airplane did not seem to respond correctly.

The pilot continued the flight back to the Boone Municipal Airport for landing. He reported that he was unable to get the throttle to "close completely" and even with 30 degrees of flaps he was unable to slow the airplane down sufficiently to land. He performed a go-around and "...planned ahead to slow the airplane down..." during the second landing attempt. He reported that during this landing he was "...only able to slow down to 100 mph." The airplane touched down at which time the nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway.

According to the Central Iowa Power Company, the span of unmarked powerline which the airplane struck was 1,270 feet in length and under 14,000 pounds of tension. The airplane contacted the lines at an altitude of about 100 feet above the ground.