- Date
- May 24, 2010, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Pearsall, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N927SHRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 22, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20100524034369A
- Case key
- 76111
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 see and avoid the power lines.
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 pilot said he and a passenger were checking fields and areas around the fields for any problems or damage. While flying east the pilot put the helicopter into a slip and descent to the north (left) to look at something closer on the left side of the helicopter. During the descent the helicopter hit unseen power lines on its left side, breaking the power lines and seriously injuring the passenger in the left seat. The pilot landed nearby and called for medical assistance for the passenger. The passenger later stated they had been hunting hogs at the time of the accident and the hog they were after had gone under the helicopter from the right to the left and "the pilot put the helicopter into a left slip" and that was the last thing he could remember about the flight.
Factual narrative
While flying east, the pilot put the helicopter into a slip and descent to the north (left) to look at something closer on the left side of the helicopter. During the descent the helicopter hit unseen power lines on its left side, breaking the power lines and seriously injuring the passenger in the left seat. The pilot landed nearby and called for medical assistance for the passenger. The passenger later stated they had been hunting hogs at the time of the accident and the hog they were after had gone under the helicopter from the right to the left and "the pilot put the helicopter into a left slip" and that was the last thing he could remember about the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N927SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3880
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- T30 · Pearsall, TX
- Destination
- T30 · Pearsall, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- T30 · Mc Kinley Field
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 1,975 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- COT, 34 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 613 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 N927SH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.