- Date
- June 11, 2009, 07:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Stringtown, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N34SDHiller UH-12E
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20090611010329A
- Case key
- 74056
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's preoccupation with personal affairs.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The company's president reported that the helicopter pilot was "taking off from an area with large bushes and scrubby trees about 500 feet ahead. He believed he was somewhat distracted because of learning of the serious illness of his mother. ...When it appeared he might have difficulty clearing the obstacles to the left, he turned right to pass under the power lines. The tail rotor snagged the lower power line, causing the helicopter to impact the ground... The wreckage remained intact except for portions of the tail rotor and main rotor which broke off after impact." An unidentified witness reported that the helicopter had struck "lines" while conducting agricultural operations, and that the helicopter was "shattered" and "totaled." The caller stated that the helicopter wreckage had been recovered and relocated to Mineral Wells, Texas.
Factual narrative
The company's president reported that the pilot was "taking off from an area with large bushes and scrubby trees about 500 feet ahead. He believed he was somewhat distracted because of learning of the serious illness of his mother. ...When it appeared he might have difficulty clearing the obstacles to the left, he turned right to pass under the power lines. The tail rotor snagged the lower power line, causing the helicopter to impact the ground... The wreckage remained intact except for portions of the tail rotor and main rotor which broke off after impact." An unidentified witness reported that the helicopter had struck "lines" while conducting agricultural operations, and that the helicopter was "shattered" and "totaled." The caller stated that the helicopter wreckage had been recovered and relocated to Mineral Wells, Texas.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34SD
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1618
- Airframe hours
- 4,139
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Texas Air Cargo, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Texas Air Cargo, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 2008 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Stringtown, OK
- Destination
- NONE · Stringtown, OK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2009
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 23,219 total · 825 in this make and model · 23,119 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- AQR, 7 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 891 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N34SD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.