- Date
- May 25, 2012, 17:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Delavan, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N11ZXHughes 369HS
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 15, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA -- Minneapolis Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20120525010429A
- Case key
- 83754
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 with power lines during an aerial application flight.
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 reported that he was spraying a drainage ditch when he encountered a railroad track embankment. He increased altitude to clear the tracks, but, as he descended back into the ditch on the opposite side of the tracks to continue spraying, he observed a set of power lines in his flight path. He attempted to maneuver to avoid the lines, but the left landing skid of the helicopter struck the lines. The helicopter subsequently impacted an adjacent corn field about 250 feet from the power lines. The pilot was seriously injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the helicopter before the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was spraying a drainage ditch when he encountered a railroad track embankment. He increased altitude to clear the tracks, but as he descended back into the ditch on the opposite side of the tracks to continue spraying, he observed a set of power lines in his flight path. He attempted to maneuver to avoid the lines, but the left landing skid of the helicopter struck the lines. The helicopter subsequently impacted an adjacent corn field about 250 feet from the power lines. The pilot was seriously injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the helicopter prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11ZX
- Reported as
- Hughes 369HS
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 640609S
- Airframe hours
- 8,836.1
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 450 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Teryjon Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Big Bird Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2012 · 1.7 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Delavan, MN
- Destination
- PVT · Delavan, MN
- Airport
- FRM · Fairmont Municipal
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
- 64
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 20, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,184 total · 4,684 in this make and model · 5,184 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- FRM, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 697 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.