20130727014509A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Thompson Falls, MT · July 27, 2013

Date: July 27, 2013 · 13:00 local
Place: Thompson Falls, MT
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: 5RMS
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N25WH
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13FA343
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,258 total377 in this make and model43 in the last 90 days

N25WHRegistration cancelled Jan 2, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10481 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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.

On July 27, 2013 at 1300 MDT, a Robinson R-44-II, N25WH, struck a tree near Thompson Falls, Montana after spinning

Out of control, while on a power line video mapping flight. Visual meterological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot was fatally injured, one passenger was seriously injured, and the other passenger suffered minor injuries. The flight originated at the polson, Montana airport (7S0) at 1110 MDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 27, 2013 AT 1300 MDT, A ROBINSON R-44-II, N25WH, STRUCK A TREE NEAR THOMPSON FALLS, MONTANA AFTER SPINNING

OUT OF CONTROL, WHILE ON A POWER LINE VIDEO MAPPING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED, ONE PASSENGER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THE OTHER PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE POLSON, MONTANA AIRPORT (7S0) AT 1110 MDT.

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 WPR13FA343Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportThompson Falls, MTThe pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Jul 27, 2013 · Substantial damage