AG ACFT STRUCK PWRLINES DURING CROP SPRAYING OPS.

Narrative

ON THIS SAT MORNING; I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SPRAYING A FIELD. IT WAS A PRETTY NICE MORNING; BUT THERE WAS A HIGH OVCST OF CIRRUS CLOUDS BLOCKING OUT THE SUN. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE 2 PASSES OVER AND AROUND THE FIELD WHERE I PLANNED TO LAY SOME SMOKE IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE WIND DIRECTION. I SET UP TO DSND OVER THE PWRLINES AND ONCE PAST THEM; I WOULD LEVEL OUT ON THE DECK TO LAY SOME SMOKE; AS I HAVE DONE THOUSANDS OF TIMES BEFORE. IN COMING DOWN; DUE TO THE OVCST; I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE LINES THEMSELVES; BUT IN JUDGING MY RELATIONSHIP TO THE GND. I CONSIDERED THAT MY FLT PATH WAS PLENTY HIGH ENOUGH TO CLR THE WIRES. I WAS EVEN A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL. I SAW THE LINES ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT I HIT THEM. I APPARENTLY CUT THEM WITH A COMBINATION OF MY PROP AND WIRE CUTTER THAT IS ON MY WINDSHIELD SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PURPOSE. I KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP TO GAIN SOME ALT AND PROCEEDED TO LOOK OVER THE ACFT FOR ANY DAMAGE. EVERY THING SEEMED ALL RIGHT (THROUGH SIGHT AND SOUND). I THEN VERIFIED THE DOWNED PWRLINES AND PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. ONCE I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. UPON LNDG; I CLOSELY CHKED OVER THE ACFT AND ONLY FOUND A FEW SCRATCHES FROM THE LINES. I THEN RPTED IT TO THE PWR COMPANY. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE WAS A COMBINATION OF ME NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE LINES DUE TO THE OVCST AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THE LINES WERE A LOT HIGHER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE THEY WERE STRETCHED ACROSS A DRAINAGE AREA OR 'DRAW.'