20200604022119A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrom Helicopter 480 · Murphy, ID · June 4, 2020

Date: June 4, 2020 · 12:30 local
Place: Murphy, ID
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: H90G
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N130JS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA171
Reported as: Enstrom Helicopter 480
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20W
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 17,000 total

N130JSRegistration cancelled Jul 8, 2022 · Enstrom Helicopter 480S/N 5029 · Built 1998 Airframe modelEnstrom Helicopter 480 Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C20WTurbo-shaft

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.

Pilot said he dropped down, was spot spraying white top, as he was going down a draw/meadow grassy area, shut off, ascended 100 to 125 ft, to proceed down the canyon where he previously was working. While he was going down the draw, on the right side, 100-110FT tall trees, there was a powerline at the tree tops, and exited on the side he was on, and there was a long stretch between the trees and the power pole, didn?t see the power pole, was looking down for weeds and white top, didn?t realize the powerline was there, and shortly after, 60 mph, saw the power lines, and subsequently impacted them. First line went into the nose of the helicopter, went up into the rotors and mast, the second one hit the skids possibly, and through the tailrotor. Helicopter started a slow revolution and impacted the ground. No mechanical issues with the helicopter prior to impact with the powerlines.

Report amended 11/17/20

As the FAA filed it

PILOT SAID HE DROPPED DOWN, WAS SPOT SPRAYING WHITE TOP, AS HE WAS GOING DOWN A DRAW/MEADOW GRASSY AREA, SHUT OFF, ASCENDED 100 TO 125 FT, TO PROCEED DOWN THE CANYON WHERE HE PREVIOUSLY WAS WORKING. WHILE HE WAS GOING DOWN THE DRAW, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, 100-110FT TALL TREES, THERE WAS A POWERLINE AT THE TREE TOPS, AND EXITED ON THE SIDE HE WAS ON, AND THERE WAS A LONG STRETCH BETWEEN THE TREES AND THE POWER POLE, DIDN?T SEE THE POWER POLE, WAS LOOKING DOWN FOR WEEDS AND WHITE TOP, DIDN?T REALIZE THE POWERLINE WAS THERE, AND SHORTLY AFTER, 60 MPH, SAW THE POWER LINES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THEM. FIRST LINE WENT INTO THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER, WENT UP INTO THE ROTORS AND MAST, THE SECOND ONE HIT THE SKIDS POSSIBLY, AND THROUGH THE TAILROTOR. HELICOPTER STARTED A SLOW REVOLUTION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE POWERLINES.

REPORT AMENDED 11/17/20

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 WPR20CA171Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportMurphy, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power line while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.Jun 4, 2020 · Substantial damage