- Date
- July 31, 2014, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Allen, NE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7194HRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140731012769A
- Case key
- 89790
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 did not ensure sufficient obstacle clearance for potential wind conditions, which resulted in his loss of control of the helicopter.
Findings · 4
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 helicopter pilot was conducting an agricultural spray operation to a sloped field with several hills and valleys. As he approached a set of midfield power lines on about his fortieth pass, the pilot encountered stronger winds with significant turbulence and lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter struck a guy-wire for the midfield power lines and subsequently impacted the ground nose first.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot was conducting an agricultural spray operation to a sloped field with several hills and valleys. As he approached a set of midfield power lines on about his fortieth pass, the pilot encountered stronger winds with significant turbulence and lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter struck a guy-wire for the midfield power lines and subsequently impacted the ground nose first.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7194H
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0941
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 4,466
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Shenandoah Agricultrual Spray Service In
- Registered owner
- Shenandoah Agricultrual Spray Service In
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 9, 2014
- Departed
- Priv · Sioux City, IA
- Destination
- Priv · Sioux City, IA
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
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 24, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,161 total · 175 in this make and model · 4,880 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KLCG, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 999 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.