- Date
- August 8, 2010, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pettus, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N792SHRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20100808047869A
- Case key
- 76905
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 decision to exit the helicopter with the engine running.
Findings · 1
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 herded cattle into a cattle trap and landed to close and adjust some gates, with the intent to take off again. The pilot left the engine running and exited the helicopter. While the pilot was outside the helicopter several cattle were startled. One of the startled cattle jumped a fence and came into contact with the main rotor, which caused the helicopter to bounce and shake violently. A number of other cattle broke free from the pen and at least one contacted the helicopter, causing it to become airborne for a short period of time before impacting the ground in a nose-low attitude. The tail boom and main rotor mast were both partially separated from the fuselage.
Factual narrative
The pilot herded cattle into a cattle trap and landed to close and adjust some gates, with the intent to take off again. The pilot left the engine running and exited the helicopter. While the pilot was outside the helicopter several cattle "spooked", one of which jumped a fence and came in contact with the main rotor, causing the helicopter to bounce and shake violently. A number of other cattle broke free from the pen and at least one contacted the helicopter, causing it to become airborne for a short period of time before impacting the ground in a nose low attitude. The tail boom and main rotor mast were both partially separated from the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N792SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3723
- Airframe hours
- 4,180
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Streakin' F Helicoptera
- Registered owner
- Coastal Bend Helicopter Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NA · Pettus, TX
- Destination
- NA · Pettus, TX
- Airport
- NA · Private Trailer
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 1,316 total · 1,285 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 595 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.