What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/21/2017 at 1145 CDT, a Robinson R22 beta, s/n 1450, N901KC, was conducting a flight pollinating a rice field when the helicopter lost lift and settled in the field on its right side, sustaining substantial damage to the helicopter. The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight, which originated at nelson flyers private landing strip and flown to the rice field at coordinates 28°43?56.10?n, 96°01?48.64?w. the commercial rated pilot gave the following statement: ?while pollinating rice and after turning to next roll, flying down wind, the helicopter suddenly just lost lift. It happened very fast. I wasn?t able to pull out of it and it went down. I unbuckled, stood up, turned off the master and fuel. I was o.k.? When interviewed, the pilot stated that he had not experienced any mechanical issues with the aircraft during the 1:15 that he had flown that morning.
The pilot stated that he had just finished a south-to-north pass on a row of rice and had pulled up over the gravel road and adjacent field to make the turn to do the north-to-south (downwind) pass over the next row of rice. As he started to make the next pass over the field is when he lost lift in the rotor system. He stated that he did not remember what exact speed or height he was at as he started to make the pass, but that the goal was to be at approximately 20 knots at an altitude of 8-10 feet above the rice. At the time of the accident the winds at kpsx (palacios municipal airport) were 360 at 18 knots, gusting to 26 knots.
The aircraft records indicate that the last airframe and engine 100 hour inspections were completed at airframe total time: 3471.0 and the last annual inspection was completed at airframe total time: 3375.5 on October 21, 2016; both inspections were completed in accordance with the Robinson maintenance manual and the Lycoming manual 60297-16. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 4.6 hours since the last 100 hour inspection.
When the NTSB report and any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/21/2017 AT 1145 CDT, A ROBINSON R22 BETA, S/N 1450, N901KC, WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT POLLINATING A RICE FIELD WHEN THE HELICOPTER LOST LIFT AND SETTLED IN THE FIELD ON ITS RIGHT SIDE, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED AT NELSON FLYERS PRIVATE LANDING STRIP AND FLOWN TO THE RICE FIELD AT COORDINATES 28°43?56.10?N, 96°01?48.64?W. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT GAVE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: ?WHILE POLLINATING RICE AND AFTER TURNING TO NEXT ROLL, FLYING DOWN WIND, THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY JUST LOST LIFT. IT HAPPENED VERY FAST. I WASN?T ABLE TO PULL OUT OF IT AND IT WENT DOWN. I UNBUCKLED, STOOD UP, TURNED OFF THE MASTER AND FUEL. I WAS O.K.? WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE 1:15 THAT HE HAD FLOWN THAT MORNING.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST FINISHED A SOUTH-TO-NORTH PASS ON A ROW OF RICE AND HAD PULLED UP OVER THE GRAVEL ROAD AND ADJACENT FIELD TO MAKE THE TURN TO DO THE NORTH-TO-SOUTH (DOWNWIND) PASS OVER THE NEXT ROW OF RICE. AS HE STARTED TO MAKE THE NEXT PASS OVER THE FIELD IS WHEN HE LOST LIFT IN THE ROTOR SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT EXACT SPEED OR HEIGHT HE WAS AT AS HE STARTED TO MAKE THE PASS, BUT THAT THE GOAL WAS TO BE AT APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8-10 FEET ABOVE THE RICE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS AT KPSX (PALACIOS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT) WERE 360 AT 18 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 26 KNOTS.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME AND ENGINE 100 HOUR INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 3471.0 AND THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 3375.5 ON OCTOBER 21, 2016; BOTH INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ROBINSON MAINTENANCE MANUAL AND THE LYCOMING MANUAL 60297-16. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 4.6 HOURS SINCE THE LAST 100 HOUR INSPECTION.
WHEN THE NTSB REPORT AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.