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20020523012129A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · Grantspass, OR · May 23, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 23, 2002 · 15:30 local
Place
Grantspass, OR
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N2322Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA02FA085
Reported as
Robsin R22
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
N2322YRegistration cancelled Aug 28, 2002 · Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINERS/N 2058M · Built 1992Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 MARINEREngine 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) Pilot and passenger of a light helicopter were flying down the rogue river gorge at approximately 150 feet above ground level when the aircraft struck an unused telephone wire that was attached to poles on each side of the river. The pilot lost control of the helicopter and crashed on the bank. (.4) on may 23, 2002, approximately 1545 pacific daylight time, a Robinson R-22 mariner, N2322Y, was destroyed after it collided with service lines and terrain near merlin, Oregon. The helicopter is registered to the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) aerial observation flight under the provisions of title 14, CFR part 91. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from grants pass, Oregon, approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident. There was no fire and no report of ELT activation. A witness reported that the helicopter was traveling northwest bound over the rouge river. He reported that as the helicopter was transitioning the area, it collided with a series of pole-mounted s ervice lines that traveled perpendicular the river corridor. Shortly after contacting the services lines, the helicopter impacted terrain.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT AND PASSENGER OF A LIGHT HELICOPTER WERE FLYING DOWN THE ROGUE RIVER GORGE AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN UNUSED TELEPHONE WIRE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO POLES ON EACH SIDE OF THE RIVER. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND CRASHED ON THE BANK. (.4) ON MAY 23, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 1545 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22 MARINER, N2322Y, WAS DESTROYED AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH SERVICE LINES AND TERRAIN NEAR MERLIN, OREGON. THE HELICOPTER IS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT, AND WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14, CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM GRANTS PASS, OREGON, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO REPORT OF ELT ACTIVATION. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING NORTHWEST BOUND OVER THE ROUGE RIVER. HE REPORTED THAT AS THE HELICOPTER WAS TRANSITIONING THE AREA, IT COLLIDED WITH A SERIES OF POLE-MOUNTED S ERVICE LINES THAT TRAVELED PERPENDICULAR THE RIVER CORRIDOR. SHORTLY AFTER CONTACTING THE SERVICES LINES, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED 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 SEA02FA085Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMerlin, ORClearance from a cable running perpendicular to a river was not maintained during low level cruise flight. A cable was a factor.May 23, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2322Y · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920223010979IIdling Rotors · Idaho Falls, IDAircraft settled through snow crust while rotors were still turning. Tail rotor was buckled slighty.Feb 23, 1992 · Minor damage