20140531007139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta · San Manuel, AZ · May 31, 2014

Date: May 31, 2014 · 10:30 local
Place: San Manuel, AZ
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7122E
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14CA216
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,058 total2,500 in this make and model66 in the last 90 days

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.

The helicopter pilot, who is privacy data omitted, stated that he was herding cattle on a ranch at an altitude of 10 to 15 feet above the ground. He turned the helicopter to face the cattle when the helicopter made contact with a telephone line. The line wrapped around the rotorhead causing the main rotor blades to stop rotating resulting in the helicopter to hit the ground hard. Weather was not a factor in the accident.

As the FAA filed it

THE HELICOPTER PILOT, WHO IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, STATED THAT HE WAS HERDING CATTLE ON A RANCH AT AN ALTITUDE OF 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. HE TURNED THE HELICOPTER TO FACE THE CATTLE WHEN THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH A TELEPHONE LINE. THE LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE ROTORHEAD CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STOP ROTATING RESULTING IN THE HELICOPTER TO HIT THE GROUND HARD. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

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 WPR14CA216Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSan Manuel, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate obstacle clearance altitude from phone wires while performing low-level operations.May 31, 2014 · Substantial damage