Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 9200; Flight Crew Type 2000
Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Object
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication
During a training mission the aircraft had a potential wire strike to unmarked and uncharted wires; with only cosmetic damage to the aircraft; the flight was able to be completed without any other issues. There were no injuries.
Reporter said that he and his copilot were conducting a survey at approximately 300 feet AGL along the Alabama River; about 40 miles west of Montgomery Regional Airport MGM) when the wire strike occurred. He saw the wire and felt a jolt; then climbed out.Two weeks after the incident; they returned to the area where the wire strike occurred to look for the wire. He saw two thick communication-type wires with orange marker balls mounted on them at both ends near the river's edge. Reporter stated that these were not the wires he struck. He and his employer have attempted to find who owns these wires; but have been unsuccessful.He believes the wire he struck was a smaller; single wire; strung at treetop level. He was unable to locate the wire and opined that it may have been broken by the strike or subsequently removed.
Small aircraft pilot reported striking uncharted wires while performing low altitude training.