What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 2, 2018 a MD369 helicopter N5187S/N454AR, S/N610968D operated by air 2 LLC certificate number X2RL798I crashed in Mcdougal Arkansas. At 1253, the poplar cartersville (pof), poplar bluff, Missouri, automated surface observation system, located 21 miles north of crash sight reported the following weather conditions: winds from 220º at 14 knots gusting to 19. The main wreckage was located at N36°26?12.07? W-90°27?9.31? On the north side of steel utility power pole in a muddy soybean field. This area of the field was flooded with approximately 2 feet of water at the time of the accident due to heavy rains. The helicopter impacted the ground on the right side, prior to impacting the ground, the helicopter main rotor blades impacted the top of the steel utility power pole. A drone was used to observe the impact damage, showing an inward indentation at the top of the pole. The top cap plate of the tower was found stuck in the mud 20 yards south of the pole. There was a gash in the plate. The airframe exhibited significant damage to the right side. The aft fuselage was separated. The tail boom assembly was separated into three pieces with impact damage consistent with a main rotor blade strike. The pilot lost his life. The two linemen were transported to hospital and later released.
October 5, 2018, NTSB, FAA, MD helicopters, rolls-royce engines, AIR2, and Boeing met at dawson aircraft to complete a wreckage layout and examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 2, 2018 A MD369 HELICOPTER N5187S/N454AR, S/N610968D OPERATED BY AIR 2 LLC CERTIFICATE NUMBER X2RL798I CRASHED IN MCDOUGAL ARKANSAS. AT 1253, THE POPLAR CARTERSVILLE (POF), POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI, AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVATION SYSTEM, LOCATED 21 MILES NORTH OF CRASH SIGHT REPORTED THE FOLLOWING WEATHER CONDITIONS: WINDS FROM 220º AT 14 KNOTS GUSTING TO 19. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT N36°26?12.07? W-90°27?9.31? ON THE NORTH SIDE OF STEEL UTILITY POWER POLE IN A MUDDY SOYBEAN FIELD. THIS AREA OF THE FIELD WAS FLOODED WITH APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET OF WATER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT DUE TO HEAVY RAINS. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND, THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE STEEL UTILITY POWER POLE. A DRONE WAS USED TO OBSERVE THE IMPACT DAMAGE, SHOWING AN INWARD INDENTATION AT THE TOP OF THE POLE. THE TOP CAP PLATE OF THE TOWER WAS FOUND STUCK IN THE MUD 20 YARDS SOUTH OF THE POLE. THERE WAS A GASH IN THE PLATE. THE AIRFRAME EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT SIDE. THE AFT FUSELAGE WAS SEPARATED. THE TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY WAS SEPARATED INTO THREE PIECES WITH IMPACT DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKE. THE PILOT LOST HIS LIFE. THE TWO LINEMEN WERE TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL AND LATER RELEASED.
OCTOBER 5, 2018, NTSB, FAA, MD HELICOPTERS, ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES, AIR2, AND BOEING MET AT DAWSON AIRCRAFT TO COMPLETE A WRECKAGE LAYOUT AND EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.