# Accident 20220728007099A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Ithaca, NE, July 28, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 28, 2022, 12:15 local time
- Place: Ithaca, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 4HXG
- Location: 41.1628° N, 96.5397° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1628&lon=-96.5397&mi=10
- Aircraft: N719TF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N719TF-2024-02-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,009 total, 340 in this make and model, 244 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA345) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220728007099A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 28, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1215 LOCAL TIME, N719TF A ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING EAST AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 75 FEET WHEN IT STRUCK A PUBLIC POWERLINE WHILE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.  THE HELICOPTER IMPACT SEVERED THE POWERLINE RESULTING IN A MINOR GRASS FIRE, AND INSTABILITY OF THE HELICOPTER.  THE HELICOPTER INDICATED A LOW RPM STATE AND THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 660 FEET EAST OF THE POINT OF IMPACT WITH THE WIRE.  THE RESULTING EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.  THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES.  THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE, OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILL.

## 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 CEN22LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA345), Jul 28, 2022: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N719TF), Ithaca, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction.

## Other reports on N719TF (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20160804015999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160804015999A), Aug 4, 2016: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N719TF), Homer, AK, Substantial damage. While in descent from cruise flight at 1000 feet over beach on sightseeeing flight, aircraft experienced loud bang with slight yaw and medium frequency…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.