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19981204032769A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22BETAII · Hachita, NM · December 4, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 4, 1998 · 08:45 local
Place
Hachita, NM
Phase of flight
Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N8340J
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN99FA024
Reported as
Robsin R22BETAII
Reported engine
Lycoming O360J2A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
1,488 total538 in this make and model160 in the last 90 days
N8340JRegistration cancelled Sep 25, 2000 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2634Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

R-22 helicopter struck power lines and crashed. (.19)on December 4, 1998, approximately 1055 mountain standard time, a Robinson helicopter R-22 beta, N8340J, was destroyed following impact with wires near Hachita, new Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the helicopter, was fatally injured. The helicopter was being operated by tcwh corporation under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight. No flight plan had been filed. According to a spokesperson from the local power company, they had dispatched a maintenance vehicle to repair a downed power line. When the vehicle arrived at the scene, they discovered the downed helicopter and fatally injured pilot. (.4)the pilot had been herding cattle with his helicopter, and was returning to his home. At 0845, he impacted an electrical transmission wire, which was 25 feet 3 inches above the ground. The wire was oriented 085-265 degrees, and the pilot's flight path was 220 degrees. At the time of the accident, the sun's altitude was 18 degrees above the horizon, and its azimuth was 133 degrees east of north. (-23) aircraft hit power lines and crashed.

As the FAA filed it

R-22 HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED. (.19)ON DECEMBER 4, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1055 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON HELICOPTER R-22 BETA, N8340J, WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH WIRES NEAR HACHITA, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE HELICOPTER, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY TCWH CORPORATION UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO A SPOKESPERSON FROM THE LOCAL POWER COMPANY, THEY HAD DISPATCHED A MAINTENANCE VEHICLE TO REPAIR A DOWNED POWER LINE. WHEN THE VEHICLE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THEY DISCOVERED THE DOWNED HELICOPTER AND FATALLY INJURED PILOT. (.4)THE PILOT HAD BEEN HERDING CATTLE WITH HIS HELICOPTER, AND WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME. AT 0845, HE IMPACTED AN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WIRE, WHICH WAS 25 FEET 3 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WIRE WAS ORIENTED 085-265 DEGREES, AND THE PILOT'S FLIGHT PATH WAS 220 DEGREES. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE SUN'S ALTITUDE WAS 18 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON, AND ITS AZIMUTH WAS 133 DEGREES EAST OF NORTH. (-23) AIRCRAFT HIT POWER LINES AND CRASHED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN99FA024Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportDeming, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance of the transmission wire. Factors were the transmission wire, and the glaring sunlight condition.Dec 4, 1998 · Destroyed