# Accident 19990217001529A: Robsin R22, Freer, TX, February 17, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 17, 1999, 09:00 local time - Place: Freer, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Hovering - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.8795° N, 98.6099° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8795&lon=-98.6099&mi=10 - Aircraft: N971SL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N971SL-2002-04-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 (registry code 7640102, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (registry code 41504, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22 - Reported engine: LYC O360A1D - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,494 total, 681 in this make and model, 190 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA083) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990217001529A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. R-22 HELICOPTER WAS CARRYING A HUNTER WHO GOT HIS GUN COUGHT IN THE CONTROLS WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO CRASH. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON FEBRUARY 17, 1999, AT 0900 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R22-B2 HELICOPTER, N971SL, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE HOVERING NEAR FREER, TEXAS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE RANCH. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SMITH HELICOPTERS INC., OF LAREDO, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR OF THE HELICOPTER, A RANCHER HIRED THE PILOT AND A TRAPPER TO "NET SOME DEER ON HIS RANCH FOR RELOCATION." THE TRAPPER USED A THREE FOOT, 18 POUND "NET GUN" WHICH FIRES A NET ON TO THE ANIMAL TO TRAP IT SO THAT GROUND PERSONNEL CAN LOAD THE ANIMAL INTO A TRUCK FOR RELOCATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TRAPPER MISSED A DEER WITH THE NET AND WAS RELOADING THE NET GUN WHILE THE PILOT HOVERED 20 FEET OVER THE DEER. THE PILOT VERIFIED THAT THE TRAPPER WAS READY AND STARTED TO DESCEND. AS THE HELICOPTER WAS DESCENDING THE PILOT NOTICED THE HELICOPTER STARTED ROLLING TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT LOOKED TOWARD THE TRAPPER AND NOTICED THAT THE "GUN WAS HOOKED ON THE T-BAR WHICH CONNECTS THE TWO CYCLIC CONTROLS." CONSEQUENTLY, THE CYCLIC CONTROL WAS FORCED TO THE "FULL LEFT" POSITION. THE PILOT TOLD THE PASSENGER TO UNHOOK HIS GUN; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE BEFORE THE PILOT COULD REGAIN CONTROL. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AT THE SITE AND STATED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEPARATED, THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND THAT A SKID SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS TYPE OF OPERATION. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ACCUMULATED 2,494 TOTAL HELICOPTER FLIGHT HOURS, OF WHICH 681 HOURS WERE IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE GUNNER HAD MANY HOURS EXPERIENCE IN THE SAME OPERATION AND THE GUNNER WAS WELL BRIEFED ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE HELICOPTER. (.4) THE PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY BLOCKED THE MOVEMENT OF THE CYCLICCONTROL WITH THIS NETTING GUN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE HIRED BY A PRIVATE RANCH OWNER TO NET DEER FOR REMOVAL FROM HIS PROPERTY. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PASSENGER MISSED A DEER WITH ONE NET. THE PILOT THEN ENTERED A HOVER 20 TO 25 FEET ABOVE THE DEER. AFTER THE PASSENGER RELOADED THE GUN, THE PILOT STARTED TO DESCEND WHEN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE BUTT OF THE GUN WAS HOOKED AROUND THE CYCLIC T-BAR. BEFORE THE PILOT COULD REGAIN CONTROL, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW99LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA083), Feb 17, 1999: Robinson R22-B2 (N971SL), Freer, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The passenger's inadvertent interference with the cyclic control which consequently restricted the control's movement. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.