20030625013879A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Dexter, MO · June 25, 2003

Date: June 25, 2003 · 10:02 local
Place: Dexter, MO
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: F03G
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N933CB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA182
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,714 total1,117 in this make and model

N933CBRegistration cancelled Jun 15, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 1191 · Built 1989 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) N933CB, a R-22 helicopter, was conducting aerial application (FAR 137) operations. During climb-out on what appears to be the end of the aircraft's aerial application to the field location, the aircraft's landing gear skid (s) struck a powerline wire approximately thirty (30) feet above ground. The aircraft climbed immediately as a result of this initial wire contact or as initiated by the pilot. As the aircraft climbed, it struck another set of higher powered powerlines approximately sixty-five (65) feet above ground level which ran perpendicular to the lower set of powerlines. Significant electrical arcing occurred throughout the aircraft as the result of striking the higher powered overhead wires. As witnessed, the aircraft was on fire before ground contact and continued to burn after ground impact. The pilot suffured fatal injuries due to the fire and violent ground impact. The aircraft was also destroyed by the fire and ground impact.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N933CB, A R-22 HELICOPTER, WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION (FAR 137) OPERATIONS. DURING CLIMB-OUT ON WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE END OF THE AIRCRAFT'S AERIAL APPLICATION TO THE FIELD LOCATION, THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR SKID (S) STRUCK A POWERLINE WIRE APPROXIMATELY THIRTY (30) FEET ABOVE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED IMMEDIATELY AS A RESULT OF THIS INITIAL WIRE CONTACT OR AS INITIATED BY THE PILOT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED, IT STRUCK ANOTHER SET OF HIGHER POWERED POWERLINES APPROXIMATELY SIXTY-FIVE (65) FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHICH RAN PERPENDICULAR TO THE LOWER SET OF POWERLINES. SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICAL ARCING OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT AS THE RESULT OF STRIKING THE HIGHER POWERED OVERHEAD WIRES. AS WITNESSED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE BEFORE GROUND CONTACT AND CONTINUED TO BURN AFTER GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOT SUFFURED FATAL INJURIES DUE TO THE FIRE AND VIOLENT GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALSO DESTROYED BY THE FIRE AND GROUND IMPACT.

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 CHI03LA182Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportDexter, MOThe pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from the wires during the aerial application flight. Factors contributing to the accident were the helicopter's low altitude and the transmission wires.Jun 25, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N933CB · 1

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

Accident 19890730029979AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Brinnon, WAFelt vibration en route elected to land on a beach but pilot misjudged height. A skid hit the water. Helicopter sankJul 30, 1989 · Destroyed