Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 11520; Flight Crew Type 457
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
I took off [early morning] to fly airplane to ZZZ for its condition inspection. Cruise altitude [was] 8;500 feet. I began my descent 30 miles from ZZZ. At 20 miles out on UNICOM frequency; I began to attempt to activate the pilot controlled lights using my microphone button. The lights did not come on. I continued to try to turn on the runway lights with no success. The airfield lights never came on. In attempting to acquire the airfield visually; I kept my descent rate at 500 fpm. At approximately 1/2 mile from the field and approximately 150 feet AGL; I struck a power line. My propeller sliced through the line. I initiated a go-around and climbed to 1;000 feet AGL. I did a control check to determine that I still had a flyable airplane. At this time; I visually acquired the airport and made a landing on Runway 32. After landing the airplane; I taxied to Transient Parking and exited the airplane. I then contacted the police and fire department to notify them of a possible downed power line. The lights not coming on made the airport extremely difficult to find. There was no NOTAM indicating the lights were inoperative. This was certainly a contributing factor to the incident; but I never should have descended so low without the airport in sight. I had been into ZZZ airport many times; and was overly sure of my situational awareness.
GA pilot reported aircraft contacted a power line during descent into airport at night.