20200311001429I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Big Lake, TX · March 11, 2020

Date: March 11, 2020 · 19:15 local
Place: Big Lake, TX
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 2WCG
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N4386W
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN20LA442
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total900 in this make and model120 in the last 90 days

N4386WRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 12847 · Built 2009 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On March 11, 2020, at approximately 1915 CDT, N4386W, Robinson R44 struck power lines while conducting aerial application on a ranch located 12 miles east of Big Lake, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan filed. The aircraft had minor damage to the main rotor mast. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from regan county airport, Big Lake, Texas on March 11, 2020, at approximately 1830 CDT.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 11, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1915 CDT, N4386W, ROBINSON R44 STRUCK POWER LINES WHILE CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION ON A RANCH LOCATED 12 MILES EAST OF BIG LAKE, TEXAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD MINOR DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR MAST. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM REGAN COUNTY AIRPORT, BIG LAKE, TEXAS ON MARCH 11, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 CDT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN20LA442Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportSterling City, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.Mar 12, 2020 · Substantial damage