What happened
During an instructional flight, the aircraft descended below the tree line while attempting a power recovery from a practice forced landing demonstration. While maneuvering in this low-altitude environment, the airplane struck an overhead wire. Despite the impact, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft and successfully flew it back to the airport of origin. The collision was not immediately apparent during the flight.
The investigation
Upon returning to the airport, a post-flight inspection revealed damage to the aircraft resulting from the wire strike. The certified flight instructor (CFII), who was piloting the airplane at the time of the incident, reported that he did not see the wires until just before they were struck. This lack of visual acquisition contributed directly to the collision with the obstacle during the low-level maneuver.