20140627010149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Quincy, WA · June 27, 2014

Date: June 27, 2014 · 16:15 local
Place: Quincy, WA
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N560LH
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14CA270
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,835 total718 in this make and model69 in the last 90 days

N560LHRegistration cancelled Feb 13, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10036 · Built 2003 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.

N560LH, a Robinson R-44 helicopter received substantial damage as the result of the main rotor striking a wind generator blade during cherry drying operations and the subsequent uncontrolled landing in the cherry orchard. The commercial pilot admitted to hitting the wind generator, and stated there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

N560LH, A ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS THE RESULT OF THE MAIN ROTOR STRIKING A WIND GENERATOR BLADE DURING CHERRY DRYING OPERATIONS AND THE SUBSEQUENT UNCONTROLLED LANDING IN THE CHERRY ORCHARD. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ADMITTED TO HITTING THE WIND GENERATOR, AND STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE HELICOPTER.

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 WPR14CA270Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportQuincy, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a wind generator tower while drying cherries, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent hard landing.Jun 27, 2014 · Substantial damage