- Date
- July 20, 2020, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Dickeyville, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N570WHRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200720008839A
- Case key
- 101652
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 maintain clearance from wires during an aerial application flight.
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 reported that while performing an aerial application flight at low altitude, the helicopter impacted wires between two poles. He stated the wires were higher than he expected due to the change in terrain contours relative to the poles, and he did not see the wires until just before impact. He then performed a precautionary landing to an adjacent waterway. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N570WH
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0538
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 4,581
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- MF Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- MF Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 13, 2019 · 86 hours before
- Departed
- Dickeyville, WI
- Destination
- Dickeyville, WI
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 7,700 total · 380 in this make and model · 6,100 as pilot in command · 145 in the last 90 days · 107 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- PVB, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.
Other investigations on N570WH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.