Although the pilot of a Robinson R44 sought information on the location of electrical power lines in Victoria, Australia, before a flight, the lack of electricity network maps and markers was partly responsible for his flight into a low-strung line, the Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) says.
As a result of its investigation of the July 6, 2019, accident, the ATSB issued warnings to pilots who fly at low levels, calling on them to “be constantly scanning the terrain on either side of their flight path for poles and towers.”
Stuart Macleod, ATSB’s director of transport safety, added, “The ability of pilots to detect power lines depends on physical characteristics such as the spacing of power poles, the orientation of the wire and the effect of weather conditions. Depending on the environmental conditions, power lines may not be contrasted against the surrounding environment. In addition, the size of the wire and limitations of the eye can mean that it is actually im…
