# Accident 20140906017329A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Macednia, IA, September 6, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 6, 2014, 12:09 local time
- Place: Macednia, IA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 1JHG
- Location: 41.1825° N, 95.5356° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1825&lon=-95.5356&mi=10
- Aircraft: N699TQ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N699TQ-2018-03-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA487](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA487) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140906017329A

## Narrative

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

WITNESSES OBSERVED HELICOPTER ENTER THE AREA FLYING NORTH OVER THE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND TOWARDS THE POWER LINES. ONE WITNESS STATED THE HELICOPTER FLEW STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WIRES, AND DROP. NO SPARKS OR FIRE WERE OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESS STATEMENTS SHOW THAT NO EVASIVE MANEUVERING WAS TAKEN TO AVOID THE WIRE STRIKE.

ON SITE EXAMINATION REVEALED ONE SINGLE SHIELD WIRE WAS STRUCK AND CUT BY THE HELICOPTER.  EVIDENCE AND WITNESS STATEMENTS SUGGEST THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLEW BETWEEN THE SHIELD WIRES AND THE TRANMISSION LINES THAT WERE STRUNG BELOW.  AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 75 FEET AGL.   WITNESS STATEMENTS FURTHER INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEGUN TO SPRAY THE FIELD AT THE TIME OF THE WIRE STRIKE AND HAD JUST FLOWN INTO THE AREA.

## 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 CEN14LA487](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA487), Sep 6, 2014: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N699TQ), Macedonia, IA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a static line.

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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