20040807019029I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Enstrm F-28F · Parma, ID · August 7, 2004

Date: August 7, 2004 · 11:36 local
Place: Parma, ID
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N1952Z
Reported as: Enstrm F28F
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,100 total1,900 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N1952ZRegistered now · Enstrom F-28FS/N 746 · Built 1987 Airframe modelEnstrom F-28F Engine modelLycoming HIO-360 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) On approach to pollinate a corn field, william butler, pilot of N1952Z, struck and sheared a power line. The helicopter safely landed and incurred only minor wire strike damage to the leading edges of two rotor blades. After discussing the blade damage with the aircraft's manufacturer, the factory approved mechanic, the national transportation safety board representative, and measuring the strike marks' depth, it has been determined that this event does not constitute a helicopter accident. Incident closed out without further action, and pilot advised not to fly into power lines again. A 709 re-exam would not be effective in this situation.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APPROACH TO POLLINATE A CORN FIELD, WILLIAM BUTLER, PILOT OF N1952Z, STRUCK AND SHEARED A POWER LINE. THE HELICOPTER SAFELY LANDED AND INCURRED ONLY MINOR WIRE STRIKE DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGES OF TWO ROTOR BLADES. AFTER DISCUSSING THE BLADE DAMAGE WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S MANUFACTURER, THE FACTORY APPROVED MECHANIC, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, AND MEASURING THE STRIKE MARKS' DEPTH, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THIS EVENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A HELICOPTER ACCIDENT. INCIDENT CLOSED OUT WITHOUT FURTHER ACTION, AND PILOT ADVISED NOT TO FLY INTO POWER LINES AGAIN. A 709 RE-EXAM WOULD NOT BE EFFECTIVE IN THIS SITUATION.