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19990918030709A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 ALPHA · Tucumcari, NM · September 18, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 18, 1999 · 13:30 local
Place
Tucumcari, NM
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8497Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN99LA163
Reported as
Robsin R22ALPHA
Reported engine
Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
12,041 total9,549 in this make and model19 in the last 90 days
N8497YRegistration cancelled Feb 22, 2000 · Robinson Helicopter R22 ALPHAS/N 0408Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 ALPHA

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.

(-23) On September 18, 1999, at 1330 MDT, a Robinson R-22-alpha helicopter, N8497Y, registered to hunts hashknife helicopters, inc., and flown by russell g. hill collided with power lines and crashed shortly after takeoff while herding cattle 20 miles nw of Tucumcari, new Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and weather was not a factor. A weather briefing had not been obtained and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the helicopter/commercial rated pilot (sole occupant) was uninjured. The aircraft had been operating in the area for a number of days and this flight originated at cattle pens adjacent to the accident scene immediately prior to the collision. (.4) shortly after takeoff, the helicopter collided with powerlines. The pilot said he did not see the powerlines because they blended in with the brush and background terrain.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1999, AT 1330 MDT, A ROBINSON R-22-ALPHA HELICOPTER, N8497Y, REGISTERED TO HUNTS HASHKNIFE HELICOPTERS, INC., AND FLOWN BY RUSSELL G. HILL COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE HERDING CATTLE 20 MILES NW OF TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. A WEATHER BRIEFING HAD NOT BEEN OBTAINED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE HELICOPTER/COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN OPERATING IN THE AREA FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS AND THIS FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CATTLE PENS ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. (.4) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWERLINES. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE POWERLINES BECAUSE THEY BLENDED IN WITH THE BRUSH AND BACKGROUND TERRAIN.

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 DEN99LA163Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTucumcari, NMThe pilot's inadequate visual lookout. A factor was a reduced visual detection due to background vegetation and terrain.Sep 18, 1999 · Substantial damage