# Incident 20180310001839I: Hughes MH-6C, Cropwell, AL, March 10, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 10, 2018, 09:30 local time
- Place: Cropwell, AL
- Airport: N/A
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5523° N, 86.2691° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Cropwell, AL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5523&lon=-86.2691&mi=10
- Aircraft: N262SD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N262SD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369A (registry code 4470503, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES MH-6C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,087 total, 79 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180310001839I

## Narrative

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

THE POLICE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER PUBLIC USE UNDER AC NO: 00-1.1A.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISPATCHED FOR SAR PURPOSES.

THE HELICOPTER WAS LAUNCHED AT APPROXIMATELY 0900CST.  POWER LINES WERE NOTED BY THE CREW AND WELL-AVOIDED IN THIS AREA.  THE CREW THEN SEARCHED DOWN RIVER FROM THE PRIMARY SEARCH AREA DUE TO THE FAST FLOWING WATERS THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT.  THE HELICOPTER WAS DOING A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE IN A SLOW CRUISE CONFIGURATION AND HAD ALREADY IDENTIFIED AND FLEW OVER THE EXISTING POWER LINES THAT WERE NOTED.  APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE PIC NOTED THE RADAR ALTIMETER DISPLAYED 214 FEET AGL AND THE AIRSPEED AT APPROXIMATELY 44 KTS.  WHILE CONTINUING THE SEARCH, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED AN UNSEEN ADDITIONAL WIRE IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER.  PILOT REACTED WITH AFT CYCLIC IN A BACKING-RIGHT BANK. THE WIRE STRUCK THE CENTER-LEFT CANOPY OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE MANEUVER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW.

THE TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER (TFO) STATED THAT THE WIRE WAS NOT SEEN BY HIM UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT AND THAT THE WIRE "REFLEXED THE CANOPY BUBBLE AND DAMAGED IT."  A PHONE CALL WAS MADE TO THE ALABAMA POWER COMPANY AND THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY DOWNED LINES AND HAD NO REPORTED POWER OUTAGES.

A SAFETY/OPERATIONS BRIEF WAS CONDUCTED PRIOR TO THE LAUNCH OF THIS MISSION, WHICH WAS INCLUSIVE OF WIRE AWARENESS AND AVOIDANCE.  PREVIOUS WIRES WERE NOTED AND AVOIDED PRIOR TO THIS CONTACT.  THE CREW BELIEVES  THE WATER AND LIGHTING CAMOUFLAGED THE WIRE.

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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