# Accident 20170510005889A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Vevay, IN, May 10, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 10, 2017, 16:27 local time
- Place: Vevay, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 2XMG
- Location: 38.7461° N, 85.0733° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7461&lon=-85.0733&mi=10
- Aircraft: N428JG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N428JG) (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: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,450 total, 950 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA279) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170510005889A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT FAILED TO SEE POWER LINES ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD WHERE HE WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL SPRAYING (PART 137) IN A HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER MADE CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINES, SEVERING THEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FELT A VIBRATION IN THE ROTORS AFTER THE COLLISION BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLLABLE. HE THEN MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. THE SKID MARKS IN THE FIELD INDICATED A NORMAL LANDING. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ROTORS AND COWLING COVERING THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED.

## 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 GAA17CA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA279), May 10, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N428JG), Vevay, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines during an agricultural application flight due to distraction when reading a map.

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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