- Date
- October 24, 2014, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Harper, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7192KRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 27, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20141024020519A
- Case key
- 90297
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 from trees while maneuvering.
Findings · 2
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 and a passenger, acting as a shooter, were conducting deer capture operations at a low altitude. The pilot reported they heard a noise and felt a shudder in the helicopter. The helicopter started spinning to the right and impacted trees and the ground. The pilot stated there was no malfunction with the helicopter and that the tail rotor hit a tree while maneuvering.
Factual narrative
The pilot and a passenger, acting as a shooter, were conducting deer capture operations at a low altitude. The pilot reported they heard a noise and felt a shudder in the helicopter. The helicopter started spinning to the right and impacted trees and the ground. The pilot stated there was no malfunction with the helicopter and that the tail rotor hit a tree while maneuvering.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7192K
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0874
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 2,103
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Philip Johnston, doing business as Exotic Game Management
- Registered owner
- Buell Travis W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Harper, TX
- Destination
- Harper, TX
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 5,900 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.