What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Note: (the investigation of the aircraft was completed at jimmy stewart airport (kidi) not at the location of the accident. The pilot flew the aircraft here after the wire strike.)
This helicopter is operated under 14CFR part 135 to gather laser data and pictures of electrical transmission lines (lidar). At the time of the accident it was being transitioned from one area of operation (kfkl) to another area of operation wnw of (kidi) and operated under 14CFR part 91.
The pilot in his written statement, stated: ?he was loosely following the western shore of the allegheny river at an altitude of 400 feet. ? He further stated: he saw no signs of activity or obstructions in area and saw a quick flash of light or something white or reflective pushed the aircraft into a descent. He felt a slight shudder afterwards. He had no master caution light, checked the controls then elected to continue to (kidi) jimmy stewart airport.
Inspection of the aircraft showed wire strike damage to both main rotor blade approximately 70 inches inward from the tips. The vertical stabilizer cap along with the GPS and strobe lights were torn off by the wire strike and missing and later found at the accident site. The wiring and cable tore through the aft portion of the vertical stabilizer. There was scaring on the tail rotor blade from hitting these wires. No other damage was noted.
The company president did state in an email that the low level and high rate of speed combination at which the incident occurred was contrary to the flight in the wire environment training the pilot had.
As the FAA filed it
NOTE: (THE INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETED AT JIMMY STEWART AIRPORT (KIDI) NOT AT THE LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT HERE AFTER THE WIRE STRIKE.)
THIS HELICOPTER IS OPERATED UNDER 14CFR PART 135 TO GATHER LASER DATA AND PICTURES OF ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES (LIDAR). AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS BEING TRANSITIONED FROM ONE AREA OF OPERATION (KFKL) TO ANOTHER AREA OF OPERATION WNW OF (KIDI) AND OPERATED UNDER 14CFR PART 91.
THE PILOT IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, STATED: ?HE WAS LOOSELY FOLLOWING THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE ALLEGHENY RIVER AT AN ALTITUDE OF 400 FEET. ? HE FURTHER STATED: HE SAW NO SIGNS OF ACTIVITY OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN AREA AND SAW A QUICK FLASH OF LIGHT OR SOMETHING WHITE OR REFLECTIVE PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A DESCENT. HE FELT A SLIGHT SHUDDER AFTERWARDS. HE HAD NO MASTER CAUTION LIGHT, CHECKED THE CONTROLS THEN ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO (KIDI) JIMMY STEWART AIRPORT.
INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED WIRE STRIKE DAMAGE TO BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADE APPROXIMATELY 70 INCHES INWARD FROM THE TIPS. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER CAP ALONG WITH THE GPS AND STROBE LIGHTS WERE TORN OFF BY THE WIRE STRIKE AND MISSING AND LATER FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE WIRING AND CABLE TORE THROUGH THE AFT PORTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. THERE WAS SCARING ON THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE FROM HITTING THESE WIRES. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED.
THE COMPANY PRESIDENT DID STATE IN AN EMAIL THAT THE LOW LEVEL AND HIGH RATE OF SPEED COMBINATION AT WHICH THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WAS CONTRARY TO THE FLIGHT IN THE WIRE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING THE PILOT HAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.