AG PLT STRUCK ELECTRICAL WIRE DURING CROP SPRAYING RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND CUTTING THE WIRES.

Narrative

HAVING HAD MY CONCENTRATION BROKEN BY THE RECENT CONVERSATION AND THE ADDED WORKLOAD CREATED BY THE NOZZLE MALFUNCTION PROC; I HAD FORGOTTEN THE MIDDLE E-W LINES IN THE FIELD. I ENTERED THE FIELD OVER THE SOUTHERN LINES AT ITS BORDER AND PROCEEDED TO SPRAY TO THE N. I SAW THE MIDDLE LINES ABOUT 100 FT FROM THEM. THEY WERE LOW ENOUGH THAT THEY HAD BLENDED INTO THE HORIZON LINE OF THE FILED UNTIL THAT POINT. SUDDENLY REMEMBERING THEM AND KNOWING THEY WERE TOO LOW TO PASS UNDER; I ATTEMPTED TO CLB OVER THEM; BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE PROP CUT THE LINES (3 STACKED) AND WHIPPING LINES CUT 2 GASHES IN THE FABRIC OF THE R WING AND TORE OFF THE FORWARD STRUT FAIRING. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO FLY NORMALLY; SO I FINISHED THE FIELD AND PROCEEDED TO OUR BASE ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY PERSONS AND DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THAT DESCRIBED AND SEVERAL NICKS IN THE PROP. THE WIRES SVCED ONLY ONE OIL WELL AND THEY WERE REPLACED AND THE WELL BACK IN PRODUCTION THAT AFTERNOON. I REALIZE THAT I WAS UNDER A HIGHER COCKPIT WORKLOAD AT THE TIME AND KNEW THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD I ABORTED SPRAYING UNTIL THE CONVERSATION ON THE RADIO WAS OVER AND I HAD LOOKED THE FIELD OVER AGAIN BEFORE PROCEEDING.