- Date
- July 20, 2017, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Logan, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N192ERobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20170720012559A
- Case key
- 95988
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 a wire during an agricultural application flight.
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 commercial pilot was performing an agricultural application flight and completed two reconnaissance passes and orbits of the field he was about to spray. The pilot reported that he did not see any power lines that posed a danger for the flight. While maneuvering at a low altitude during a pass turn, the helicopter struck a wire that the pilot did not see. After the helicopter struck the wire, the helicopter windscreen failed, and the helicopter violently shook. The pilot entered an autorotation to the field, and the helicopter impacted terrain and came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and main rotor blades. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot was performing an agricultural application flight, and completed two reconnaissance passes and orbit of the field he was about to spray. The pilot did not note any power lines that posed a danger for the flight. While maneuvering at a low altitude during a pass turn, the helicopter struck a wire that he did not see. After the helicopter struck the wire, the helicopter windscreen failed and the helicopter violently shook. The pilot entered an autorotation to the field, and the helicopter impacted terrain and came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor blades. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the helicopter. The accident was reported to the National Transportation Safety Board on September 11, 2017.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N192E
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10989
- Built
- 2005
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Airbourn Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Midwest Airspray LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Equipment
- None
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
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 21, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,302 total · 643 in this make and model · 1,259 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- TQE, 20 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.