PLT SEL SMA STRUCK PWR LINE DURING GAR IN A CANYON NEAR AN OPEN AREA WHICH HE WAS EXAMINING FOR A POSSIBLE EMER LNDG AREA. THE ACFT'S VERT FIN WAS DAMAGED AS THE PWR LINE CAUGHT AND SLID OFF THE TAIL OF THE ACFT WITHOUT BREAKING.

Narrative

AFTER LNDG AT A REMOTE AIRSTRIP ON THE DESCHUTES RIVER; LOOKING AT A FISHING SPOT; A NORMAL TKOF WAS MADE. ON CLBOUT; A POSSIBLE LNDG SPOT (EMER) WAS NOTED AND I DECIDED TO MAKE LOW PASS TO CHK FOR SUITABILITY. A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE BACK TO THE S FOR A HIGH PASS AND THE FIELD LOOKED OK FROM THERE. I FLEW UP RIVER TO TURN AROUND; SLOW AND DROP FLAPS FOR A LOW PASS. THE APCH WAS MADE AT 80 MPH WITH 20 DEG FLAPS ABOUT 50-100 FT TO THE SIDE OF THE LNDG AREA. THE LNDG AREA SEEMED TO BE USABLE AND PLENTY LONG. ON THE GAR FULL PWR WAS ADDED; FLAPS RETRACTED; AND A CLBOUT WAS STARTED. AT THIS TIME PWR LINES XING THE CANYON WERE NOTED JUST IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE VERT TAIL CONTACTED A WIRE; A SLIGHT BUMP WAS FELT; AND THE ACFT CONTINUED ON. I WAS NOT SURE I HAD REALLY HIT THE WIRE; THINKING THE BUMP MAY HAVE BEEN LOOSE ITEMS IN THE COCKPIT AS I MANEUVERED. THE ACFT FLEW NORMALLY (IN FACT HANDS OFF) WITH NO VIBRATIONS. I PROCEEDED TO A NORMAL LNDG. UPON INSPECTING THE ACFT; I FOUND THE WIRE HIT THE VERT STABILIZER 6-8 INCHES FROM THE TOP AND REMOVED THE ROTATING BEACON. I LATER FOUND OUT THE WIRE WAS UNDAMAGED AND I BELIEVE MINOR SHEET METAL AND BEACON REPLACEMENT WILL REPAIR THE DAMAGE. BECAUSE OF THE SUN ANGLE AND THE BALLS ON THE WIRE BEING VERY FADED; THE WIRES SHOWED UP VERY POORLY. I FEEL VERY LUCKY AND LEARNED MY LESSON. EVEN THOUGH I MADE THE FIRST 180 DEG TURN IN THE AREA OF THE WIRES; I WAS ABOVE THEM AT THE TIME AND THEY DID NOT SHOW UP. A CAREFUL INSPECTION OF THE AREA (2 OR 3 TURNS) FROM A HIGHER ALT WHERE YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT THE GENERAL AREA SHOULD BE DONE.