# Accident 20110725015669A: Sikorsky S55B, Brewster, WA, July 25, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 25, 2011, 11:45 local time
- Place: Brewster, WA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.1186° N, 119.7708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1186&lon=-119.7708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N855TC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N855TC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sikorsky S55B (registry code 8141603, https://openairdocs.org/model/sikorsky-s55b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Wright R-1300-3D (registry code 67134, https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1300-3d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SIKORSKY S55B
- Reported engine: WRIGHT R-1300-3D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 283 total, 50 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11LA356](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA356) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110725015669A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

INDIVIDUAL WAS CONDUCTING CHERRY DRYING (HOVER OGE) WHEN WIND GUST PUSHED HIM TOWARDS A POWER LINE.  PILOT PULLED PITCH TO CLEAR LINE.  RPM BLED OFF.  AFTER CLEARING POWERLINE PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN RPM.  HE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SEE SECOND SET OF POWER LINES.  PASSENGER/OBSERVER SAW POWERLINE AND CALLED IT OUT.  PILOT AGAIN QUICKLY PULLED COLLECTIVE AND APPLIED POWER.  THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE SECOND SET OF POWERLINES BUT RPM BLED OFF TOO MUCH TO RECOVER WHEN COLLECTIVE LOWERED.  AIRCRAFT THEN SETTLED INTO CHERRY TREE GROVE LANDING UPRIGHT.  MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED TREES AND WERE DAMAGED.  NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE OR TAIL ROTOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR11LA356](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA356), Jul 25, 2011: Sikorsky S-55B (N855TC), Brewster, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain main rotor rpm while hovering in gusting wind conditions.

## Other reports on N855TC (1)

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

- [Incident 20100624038849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100624038849I), Jun 24, 2010: Sikorsky S55D (N855TC), Bridgeport, WA, Minor damage. During low level hover cherry drying, pilot let helicopter drift into a wind machine and one blade of the helicopter hit the propeller of the wind machine.…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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