Wire safety

Wire strikes often occur in fine weather when there’s good visibility. In many cases the pilots knew the wires were there.

Important things to think about include:

• Position and angle of the sun and associated glare or levels of light
• Unplanned changes to the operation
• Wires are thin and often nearly impossible to see until it’s too late
• Your workload, vision limitations, and a small lapse in concentration can lead to a fatal mistake
• The number of flying hours you have logged doesn’t lower your chance of a wire strike
• Ongoing training on wire strikes is essential.

The farmer must provide a detailed hazard map showing wires, high fences, and other hazards.

Hazards in the surrounding areas, especially turnaround areas, must also be identified. In an emergency, you may need to fly outside the intended operating area. You should also talk to neighbouring landowners or other operators who have experience working in the area.

In addition to the hazard map, you should do a full reconnaissance of the area you are about to operate in, from both the air and the ground. Take note of any structures using power and watch for any poles as they may have wires connected that you can't see.

Also watch for single wires strung between farm buildings. They’re particularly hard to see, and can also be attached to hidden structures. Streams, gullies, and rivers all potentially have wires strung across them.

Electricity transmission lines

Transpower provides information about electricity transmission lines(external link) on its website.

Also, the Electricity Networks Association website(external link) shows the controlling network company of each area. You can use this to contact the network company to get information on electricity lines in that area.

Wherever possible, you must reduce risks to ensure the farm is safe for aerial operations. This could mean the farmer will be required to remove, or lower, all aerial wires before operations start.

Where that can’t be done, the risk must be mitigated: marking the wires, for instance, and putting them on a hazard map you can give your pilot.

On the day of your safety briefing, you should discuss any wires or other hazards with your contractors. You should have written documentation detailing the information about any wire hazards in a contract.

A healthy and safe workplace starts with identifying and understanding what your work-related health and safety risks are, particularly those with the potential to cause people serious injury or illness.

Make sure everyone involved in an operation, such as the farmer and ground crew, are fully aware of potential risks and what to do in an emergency.

How to manage work risks(external link)

As well as identifying and managing hazards, you, the farmer, and the ground crew need to know what to do – and who is responsible for what – in an emergency. Some questions to think about are:

• Are there suitable places for an emergency landing?
• Who has first aid training and a medical kit?
• Are you within cellphone range?

Workplace emergency plans(external link)

Operators with aircraft working routinely in the wire environment should consider installing a wire cutting system on their aircraft to help manage risks.

A wire cutting system is designed to channel a wire or cable into the cutter to score it as it travels into the cutter assembly, to ‘cut’ the wire before aircraft contact. The system is generally fitted to undercarriage legs and to the middle of the windscreen.

We recommend all pilots be trained in wire strike avoidance. Wire environment courses are regularly run in New Zealand.

You should report all aviation accidents and incidents to us. We need to know the cause of an occurrence to help industry understand how to prevent it from happening again. Our investigators will work with you to find out what happened and why.

Report an accident or incident