# Accident 20210502008779A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Wingate, NC, May 2, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 2021, 13:18 local time
- Place: Wingate, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: UKRG
- Location: 34.8823° N, 80.4360° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8823&lon=-80.4360&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4528T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4528T-2021-11-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (registry code 42353, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-f1b5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-540-F1B5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA200) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210502008779A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 2, 2021, AT 1318 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER, N4528T, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR WINGATE, NORTH CAROLINA.  THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, WHO WAS SPRAYING FUNGICIDE ON A WHEAT FIELD WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, WAS FATALLY INJURED.

ACCORDING TO SEVERAL WITNESSES, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD OBSERVED THIS PORTION OF THE FIELD, WHICH CONTAINED MULTIPLE POWER LINES, BEING SPRAYED VIA AERIAL APPLICATION. THE

HELICOPTER HAD BEEN OPERATING ABOUT 15 FT ABOVE THE 3-FT TALL WHEAT DURING THE SPRAYING OPERATION. IMAGES RECOVERED FROM A GPS APPLICATION ON THE PILOT?S TABLET COMPUTER SHOWED THAT THE HELICOPTER COMPLETED ITS FIRST PASS IN A NORTHERLY HEADING, THEN TURNED AND FLEW OVER THE FIELD ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. THE DATA CORRELATED TO

THE HELICOPTER?S FLIGHT TRACK ENDED IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE THE HELICOPTER?S MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. A WITNESS IN A NEARBY HOME REPORTED HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY LOST

ELECTRICITY TO THEIR HOME AND SAW THE HELICOPTER AS IT DESCENDED IN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE FIELD IN THE VICINITY OF THE POWER

LINES. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED AND SEVERED A POWER LINE THAT

WAS ORIENTED ABOUT 228° MAGNETIC AND MEASURED ABOUT 29 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT ITS LOWEST POINT OVER THE WHEAT FIELD. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED AND DEFORMED AFT. THE TAIL

BOOM REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE MAIN FUSELAGE; HOWEVER, THE EMPENNAGE, COMPOSED OF THE UPPER AND LOWER VERTICAL STABILIZERS, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, THE TAIL ROTOR AND ITS GEARBOX, WERE SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL BOOM. BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE HUB AND WERE WHOLE FROM ROOT TO TIP. THE AGRICULTURAL HOPPER REMAINED PARTIALLY ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE. IT WAS BREACHED AND ITS LOWER SIDE WAS CRUSH-DAMAGED. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ENGINE REMAINED INTACT.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REFERENCE SAS ACTIVITY #: EA68202102466

## 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 ERA21FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA200), May 2, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N4528T), Wingate, NC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight, resulting in tail rotor impact with the power line, a loss of control, and subsequent impact…

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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