# Accident 20231206021039A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Calexico, CA, December 6, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 6, 2023, 17:30 local time
- Place: Calexico, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NJGG
- Location: 32.6918° N, 115.4330° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6918&lon=-115.4330&mi=10
- Aircraft: N422DX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N422DX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 9,000 total, 750 in this make and model, 94 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231206021039A

## Narrative

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

PILOT REPORTED HE WAS PERFORMING PART 137 SPRAYING OPERATIONS ON MULTIPLE AGICULTURE FIELDS. WHILE SPRAYING A FIELDS NEXT TO HIGHWAY 98 IN CALEXICO CALIFORNIA THERE WERE LARGE POWERLINES ON THE SOUTH AND 1/4 WEST OF A BARBERWORTH RD.  FLYING A NORTH SOUTH PATTERN, WHILE TURNING AND DECENDING OVER LARGE POWERLINES.THE RIGHT SKID STRUCK A SMALLER POWERLINE FOLLOWED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE BEING HIT. AN ENGINE VIBRATION FOLLOWED AND PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN THE FIELD FOR INPSECTION, AFTER THE LANDING HE FOUND DAMAGED TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE.

## 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 WPR24LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA092), Dec 6, 2023: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N422DX), Calexico, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.

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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