# NTSB CEN09LA201: Robinson R22, N456PH, Midland, TX, March 10, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 10, 2009, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Midland, TX - Coordinates: 32.033332, -102.01667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0333&lon=-102.0167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 12, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 73476 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA201 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73476/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73476 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA201 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a pole. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Unknown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis A local rancher contacted the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and said there was a 2-year-old wrecked helicopter on his property, and he wanted permission to dispose of it. Unaware of such an accident, an FAA inspector went to the site and confirmed that an accident had occurred but had never been reported. He said that it appeared the helicopter had either been taking off or landing between two buildings when the main rotor blades struck a post. The uninjured pilot reportedly extricated himself and walked away. An examination of the helicopter revealed severed main rotor blades and a fractured and buckled transmission mast. The tail boom was severed just forward of the tail rotor, and separated at the engine cowling. The pilot's name does not appear in FAA's pilot database. ## Factual narrative On or about May 15, 2007, at an unknown (possibly, 1300) central daylight time, a Robinson R22, N456PH, piloted by an non-certificated pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck a pole and impacted terrain either during takeoff or landing at a ranch in Midland, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions are assumed to have prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reportedly was uninjured. The flight originated at an unknown time and location. On March 10, 2009, FAA's Flight Standards District Office in Lubbock, Texas, was contacted by a local rancher, who said there was a 2-year-old wrecked helicopter on his property, and he wanted permission to dispose of it. Unaware of such an accident, an FAA inspector went to the site. The inspector confirmed that an accident had occurred and had never been reported. The rancher said he became aware of the accident around July 2007. The inspector said that it appeared the helicopter had either been taking off or landing between two buildings when the main rotor blades struck a post. An examination of the helicopter revealed severed main rotor blades and a fractured and buckled transmission mast. The tail boom was severed just forward of the tail rotor, and separated at the engine cowling. According to FAA, the pilot's name does not appear in their pilot database. According to the rancher, after the accident the uninjured pilot extricated himself and walked away. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N456PH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N456PH), registered now, S/N 659M (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R22 - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner) (registry code 7640115) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [NONE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (registry code 00000, none) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 659M - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Registration Pending - Registered owner: Registration Pending - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Unknown - Destination: Midland, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; injuries: none; seat: right; flight hours: 1 total, 1 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 30, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73476. 2.2 MB in all. - Additional Notes (item 1, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40310744&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Additional%20Notes-Master.PDF - Map of Accident Area (item 2, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40310745&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - The helicopter wreckage photos. (item 3, .PDF, 979 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40310746&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=The%20helicopter%20wreckage%20photos.-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.