20010215004019A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Borger, TX · February 15, 2001

Date: February 15, 2001 · 22:15 local
Place: Borger, TX
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N4002M
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW01FA069
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA

N4002MRegistration cancelled Mar 11, 2003 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 1444 · Built 1990 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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) The Robinson R-22 beta helicopter departed gruver, Texas on a southerly heading in VFR conditions. After passing Borger, Texas, the pilot encountered low ceilings and fog in terrain with rolling hills and sparse vegetation. The pilot then made a 180 degree turn to return to Borger, Texas. Approximately 1 mile south of Borger, the rotorcraft struck an electrical pole and separated the top 6'3" of the pole. The wreckage came to rest on an oil pump jack mounted on a concrete slab.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE ROBINSON R-22 BETA HELICOPTER DEPARTED GRUVER, TEXAS ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING IN VFR CONDITIONS. AFTER PASSING BORGER, TEXAS, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND FOG IN TERRAIN WITH ROLLING HILLS AND SPARSE VEGETATION. THE PILOT THEN MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO BORGER, TEXAS. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTH OF BORGER, THE ROTORCRAFT STRUCK AN ELECTRICAL POLE AND SEPARATED THE TOP 6'3" OF THE POLE. THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON AN OIL PUMP JACK MOUNTED ON A CONCRETE SLAB.

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 FTW01FA069Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBorger, TXthe pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain obstacle clearance. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain an updated preflight weather briefing and the dark night conditions.Feb 16, 2001 · Destroyed