What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 8, 2026, at 1515 (EDT), a Robinson astro R-44 helicopter struck a high-tension powerline in between two corn fields and subsequently impacted terrain in the vicinity of Lynchburg, south carolina. Preliminary investigation findings have identified that the rotorcraft's right skid and agricultural spray boom assembly became entangled in one of the three cables that ran between two wooden high-tension posts across the span of the two fields, alongside of a dirt access road. The force of the impact on the high-tension cables severed approximately 10 feet off one of the wooden post and knocked down the other, which was approximately 900 feet away. The rotorcraft came to rest approximately 100 feet from the high-tension posts still entangled with the power cable. No post-crash fire occurred but an electrical spark from the high-tension cable did ignite a small fire by the roadside approximately 75 feet away that was extinguished by lee county fire department. There was only one person onboard, and an injury to the pilot did occur. An NTSB investigator has been assigned and has coordinated with insurance for the rotorcraft’s removal from the field (atlanta air salvage / 678-544-6332).
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 8, 2026, AT 1515 (EDT), A ROBINSON ASTRO R-44 HELICOPTER STRUCK A HIGH-TENSION POWERLINE IN BETWEEN TWO CORN FIELDS AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF LYNCHBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FINDINGS HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THE ROTORCRAFT'S RIGHT SKID AND AGRICULTURAL SPRAY BOOM ASSEMBLY BECAME ENTANGLED IN ONE OF THE THREE CABLES THAT RAN BETWEEN TWO WOODEN HIGH-TENSION POSTS ACROSS THE SPAN OF THE TWO FIELDS, ALONGSIDE OF A DIRT ACCESS ROAD. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT ON THE HIGH-TENSION CABLES SEVERED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET OFF ONE OF THE WOODEN POST AND KNOCKED DOWN THE OTHER, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET AWAY. THE ROTORCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE HIGH-TENSION POSTS STILL ENTANGLED WITH THE POWER CABLE. NO POST-CRASH FIRE OCCURRED BUT AN ELECTRICAL SPARK FROM THE HIGH-TENSION CABLE DID IGNITE A SMALL FIRE BY THE ROADSIDE APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AWAY THAT WAS EXTINGUISHED BY LEE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON ONBOARD, AND AN INJURY TO THE PILOT DID OCCUR. AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR HAS BEEN ASSIGNED AND HAS COORDINATED WITH INSURANCE FOR THE ROTORCRAFT’S REMOVAL FROM THE FIELD (ATLANTA AIR SALVAGE / 678-544-6332).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.