What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 28, 2004, at 1145 CST a Robinson, R-44 rotorcraft, N7184G, struck and severed an electrical power wire adjacent to a refueling tank, during takeoff in Burlington, WI. The private pilot, rotorcraft rated pilot was not injured and one passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft received substantial damage. The aircraft was being operated as a pleasure flight under 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated in Burlington, WI at approximately 1145 CST. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. Investigation revealed the pilot did not see the power wires during his landing nor during ground refueling. The wires were 25 feet above the ground and attached to a pole approximately 25 feet from the fuel tank. After refueling the pilot lifted off and when he rotated to make a left turn the tail rotor struck the overhead wires and pulled the rotorcraft backwards. The main rotor hit & severed an adjacent utility pole and the rotorcraft dropped to the ground. The pilot stated he had never seen power wires across a taxiway and he felt the wires should have been buried underground. See attached map.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 28, 2004, AT 1145 CST A ROBINSON, R-44 ROTORCRAFT, N7184G, STRUCK AND SEVERED AN ELECTRICAL POWER WIRE ADJACENT TO A REFUELING TANK, DURING TAKEOFF IN BURLINGTON, WI. THE PRIVATE PILOT, ROTORCRAFT RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PLEASURE FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN BURLINGTON, WI AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 CST. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT DID NOT SEE THE POWER WIRES DURING HIS LANDING NOR DURING GROUND REFUELING. THE WIRES WERE 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND ATTACHED TO A POLE APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET FROM THE FUEL TANK. AFTER REFUELING THE PILOT LIFTED OFF AND WHEN HE ROTATED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE OVERHEAD WIRES AND PULLED THE ROTORCRAFT BACKWARDS. THE MAIN ROTOR HIT & SEVERED AN ADJACENT UTILITY POLE AND THE ROTORCRAFT DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD NEVER SEEN POWER WIRES ACROSS A TAXIWAY AND HE FELT THE WIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN BURIED UNDERGROUND. SEE ATTACHED MAP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.