# Accident 20180727018089A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Elma, IA, July 27, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 27, 2018, 18:15 local time
- Place: Elma, IA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 1MWG
- Location: 43.3347° N, 92.3844° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3347&lon=-92.3844&mi=10
- Aircraft: N466EL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N466EL-2020-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,169 total, 240 in this make and model, 159 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA453](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA453) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180727018089A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 27, 2018, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS WITH A ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOCATED A FIELD TO BE SPRAYED, SURVEILLED THE FIELD FOR OBSTACLES AND NOTED ALL POWER LINES AND BUILDINGS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN STARTED HIS FIRST PASS ON THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST AT APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET AGL. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE END OF THE PASS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NOTICED A SET OF NORTH TO SOUTH WIRES CONNECTED TO THE MAIN EAST TO WEST WIRES. THE CONNECTING POWER POLE FOR THE NORTH TO SOUTH WIRES WAS OBSCURED BY A SET OF TREES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOGNIZE DURING SURVEILLANCE OF THE FIELD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN IMPACTED THE WIRES, PITCHING THE AIRCRAFT AFT SLIGHTLY BEFORE SEPARATING FROM THE WIRES AND IMPACTING THE GROUND ON THE AIRCRAFTS SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED INTACT WITH MINOR INJURIES TO THE AIRMAN.

## 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 GAA18CA453](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA453), Jul 27, 2018: Robinson R44 (N466EL), Elma, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure maintain clearance from power lines during an agricultural application flight.

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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