- Date
- August 18, 2014, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Saint Peter, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N369GNHughes 369HS
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140818013439A
- Case key
- 89923
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 see the wires resulting in the subsequent wire collision.
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
During an application flight, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter in order to conduct another pass, maintaining vigilance of the high lines and trees in the vicinity of his operations. The pilot stated that he did not see the 2 wires spanning from across the road into the bean field where he was applying insecticide. He flew right into the wires which subsequently entangled around the mast of the helicopter. During the forced landing to the field, the "controls locked up" and the helicopter spun to the right 3 times before impacting the ground. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During an application flight, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter in order to conduct another pass, maintaining vigilance of the high lines and trees in the vicinity of his operations. The pilot stated that he did not see the 2 wires spanning from across the road into the bean field where he was applying insecticide. He flew right into the wires which subsequently entangled around the mast of the helicopter. During the forced landing to the field, the "controls locked up" and the helicopter spun to the right 3 times before impacting the ground. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N369GN
- Reported as
- Hughes 369HS (HS)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 140553S
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 9,105.5
- Engine
- Allison 250-C2-B, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Tery Jon Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Big Bird Leasing Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 18, 2014
- Departed
- Saint Peter, MN
- Destination
- Saint Peter, MN
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
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 23, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 400 in this make and model · 8,350 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KMKT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB 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.