What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 7, 2017 at approximately 10:30 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-44 ii rotorcraft, N3203D received substantial damage following collision with the ground while conducting agriculture operations east of the intersection of e county road 100 n and n county road 450 e, Paoli, Indiana. The commercial pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft suffered no injuries. The aircraft was registered to jmx helicopters LLC and operated under provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 137 as an agricultural flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed a flight plan was not filed. The purpose of the flight was to conduct 14 CFR part 137 aerial agricultural application operations, spraying pesticide on a local cornfield. There were no witnesses to the accident.
The pilot provided a statement to local sheriff deputies responding to the scene, that he was coming over power wires when he encountered a wind issue and was unable to control the aircraft. During a telephone interview shortly thereafter with the FAA investigator, the pilot expanded on the statement to the sheriff. He stated that he had completed a turn after a spray swath application and began setting up for his next swath, when he determined he was descending. He applied power, determined that he was still descending and decided to attempt to use ground effect to recover, when he ran out of altitude and collided with the ground.
Investigators determined that the aircraft had dispensed 12 percent of usable capacity at time of accident. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the landing gear skids, tail cone (boom), main and tail rotor blade systems. The aircraft contacted the ground at a heading of approximately 60 degrees bounced and came to rest approximately 30 feet from contact on the aircraft left-hand side at a heading of 230 degrees.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 7, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R-44 II ROTORCRAFT, N3203D RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF E COUNTY ROAD 100 N AND N COUNTY ROAD 450 E, PAOLI, INDIANA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO JMX HELICOPTERS LLC AND OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 AS AN AGRICULTURAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS, SPRAYING PESTICIDE ON A LOCAL CORNFIELD. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT PROVIDED A STATEMENT TO LOCAL SHERIFF DEPUTIES RESPONDING TO THE SCENE, THAT HE WAS COMING OVER POWER WIRES WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND ISSUE AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW SHORTLY THEREAFTER WITH THE FAA INVESTIGATOR, THE PILOT EXPANDED ON THE STATEMENT TO THE SHERIFF. HE STATED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A TURN AFTER A SPRAY SWATH APPLICATION AND BEGAN SETTING UP FOR HIS NEXT SWATH, WHEN HE DETERMINED HE WAS DESCENDING. HE APPLIED POWER, DETERMINED THAT HE WAS STILL DESCENDING AND DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO USE GROUND EFFECT TO RECOVER, WHEN HE RAN OUT OF ALTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD DISPENSED 12 PERCENT OF USABLE CAPACITY AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS, TAIL CONE (BOOM), MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADE SYSTEMS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND AT A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 60 DEGREES BOUNCED AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FROM CONTACT ON THE AIRCRAFT LEFT-HAND SIDE AT A HEADING OF 230 DEGREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.