What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 8, 2017 at approximately 10:35 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-44, N7224U was destroyed following collision with the ground while conducting agriculture operations near 6886 w 450 n Jasper, Indiana. The commercial rated pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft suffered serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to j.r. aviation, inc and was being operated under provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 137 as an agricultural flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no type of flight plan was filed. The purpose of the flight was to conduct 14 CFR 137 aerial application crop dusting operations, spraying fungicide on a local cornfield.
There were no witnesses to the accident and the pilot was able to communicate with his ground crew via cellphone before he exited the aircraft, which was then consumed by fire. A 911 call was made to the fire department at 10:39 local time.
Ground crew personnel stated they had begun working in the field at approximately 08:15 local time, with no issues noted before the accident.
Observation at the scene showed the aircraft appeared to be making power prior to striking the ground approximately 175 feet from the end of the field that he was spraying. There were no power lines or other obstacles in the vicinity of the accident site.
The statement from the ground crew showed the pilot to be in a good mood, to be looking forward to flying that morning and appeared to be in good physical condition.
Investigators have not been able to interview the pilot due to injuries. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time.
The NTSB was notified and declined to be represented on site.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 8, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:35 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A ROBINSON R-44, N7224U WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS NEAR 6886 W 450 N JASPER, INDIANA. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO J.R. AVIATION, INC AND WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 AS AN AGRICULTURAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT 14 CFR 137 AERIAL APPLICATION CROP DUSTING OPERATIONS, SPRAYING FUNGICIDE ON A LOCAL CORNFIELD.
THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS GROUND CREW VIA CELLPHONE BEFORE HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS THEN CONSUMED BY FIRE. A 911 CALL WAS MADE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 10:39 LOCAL TIME.
GROUND CREW PERSONNEL STATED THEY HAD BEGUN WORKING IN THE FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 08:15 LOCAL TIME, WITH NO ISSUES NOTED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
OBSERVATION AT THE SCENE SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE MAKING POWER PRIOR TO STRIKING THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 175 FEET FROM THE END OF THE FIELD THAT HE WAS SPRAYING. THERE WERE NO POWER LINES OR OTHER OBSTACLES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
THE STATEMENT FROM THE GROUND CREW SHOWED THE PILOT TO BE IN A GOOD MOOD, TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO FLYING THAT MORNING AND APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO INTERVIEW THE PILOT DUE TO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED AND DECLINED TO BE REPRESENTED ON SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.