PLT OF AN SMA TURBINE HELI STRUCK WIRES DURING A LOW LEVEL PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE FLT CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HELI. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING A BELL JET RANGER HELI IN THE VICINITY OF W QUINCY; MO; AT APPROX COORDINATES N3951/W09127. THE MISSION WAS A CAMERA SHOOT FOR A LCL TELEVISION COMMERCIAL. I HAD 2 INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE DIRECTOR ASKED THAT I FIND A SUITABLE RAILROAD TRACK WITH A N/S ORIENTATION. WHILE FLYING OVER UNPOPULATED FARM FIELDS; I FLEW S OVER RAILROAD TRACKS TO DETERMINE PROPER LIGHTING CONDITIONS AND THE SUITABILITY OF THE AREA FOR FILMING. PRIOR TO A CAMERA RUN; I FLEW OVER THE TRACKS TO PERFORM A RECONNAISSANCE ON THE WIRES THAT PARALLEL ON THE W SIDE. THIS HAD ME LOOKING TOWARD THE SUN WHICH WAS LOW IN THE SKY. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SETTING SUN AND THE GLARE WERE A FACTOR IN MY NOT SEEING WIRES WHICH WERE XING PERPENDICULAR TO THE TRACKS. I STRUCK AND BROKE WHAT POSSIBLY WERE 2 WIRES. I WAS AT AN AIRSPD OF APPROX 50 KTS AND DID NOT SEE THE WIRES UNTIL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DAMAGE TO THE HELI CONSISTED OF A BROKEN R CHIN-BUBBLE AND 2 BENT ANTENNAS. THE FORWARD SKID CROSS TUBE WAS SCUFFED WHERE IT BROKE THE WIRE. I HAD SUBMITTED A FAX TO MY FSDO OFFICE ON OCT/FRI/95; DETAILING THE INFO THAT I HAD PERTAINING TO THE SHOOT AND WAS OPERATING UNDER AN FAA APPROVED TV AND MOTION PICTURE WAIVER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN: IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE SHOOTING SCHEDULE AS DETAILED BY THE CLIENT; I HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 9 HRS WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. I HAD FLOWN 6 HRS THAT DAY PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE. FLYING OVER CORN/BEAN FIELDS; 1/8 MI W OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH NO POPULATION/STRUCTURES BTWN ME AND THE RIVER; I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THIS SECONDARY WIRE TO CROSS MY FLT PATH. I HAD FLOWN 2-3 MINS OVER THE TRACKS AND THE WIRES PARALLELING THEM. I HAD BEEN LOOKING INTO THE SUN WITH CONSIDERABLE GLARE FROM ITS LOW ANGLE. THE WIRES WERE SMALL STRANDS AND WERE MOUNTED SIDE-BY-SIDE AT THE SAME LEVEL SO AT MY ALT WOULD HAVE APPEARED AS ONE. I BELIEVE THE SUN GLARE PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THE POLES W OF ME AND THE POLES E WENT IMMEDIATELY INTO A TREE LINE.