Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 1520; Flight Crew Type 140
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors; Weather
After an initial low approach to survey the runway; and while on a subsequent short final into a turf 1200 feet runway in hilly terrain; a sudden; powerful downdraft caused the aircraft to lose altitude and impact a utility line just prior to the approach end of [the] runway. All actions to mitigate the drop in altitude (adding full power; pitching up for maximum climb); proved unsuccessful in arresting the sink rate. The sink resulted in the propeller cutting a utility line approximately 200 feet before the runway threshold; resulting in minor damage to the propeller. A normal landing and rollout was accomplished after the impact with the utility line.
Light Sport Airport pilot reported cutting a power line with his propeller when a downdraft forced an altitude loss.