# NTSB CEN20LA066: Robinson R22, N8364Y, Charlotte, TX, January 24, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 24, 2020, 17:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Charlotte, TX - Coordinates: 28.953611, -98.764724 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9536&lon=-98.7647&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; San Antonio FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100865 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100865/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100865 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA066 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a powerline during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 85 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 85 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the helicopter stated that, during landing, his vision was obscured by the sun and dust from the helicopter's rotor wash. The pilot performed a pedal turn, during which the tail rotor impacted a powerline that was next to a road. The helicopter began to spin, the pilot pulled back on the cyclic and lowered the collective, and the helicopter subsequently impacted the ground. The accident is consistent with the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerline during landing. ## Factual narrative On January 24, 2020, at 1750 central standard time, a Robinson R22 helicopter, N8364Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Charlotte, Texas. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that, after he had finished herding animals into a pen at the family farm, he took off and saw several feral hogs in an adjacent pasture. He turned the helicopter back to land so that he could pick up a helper to eradicate the hogs from the pasture. The pilot stated that the sun was in his eyes and dust had kicked up from the helicopter's rotor wash. The pilot made a pedal turn, and the tail rotor impacted a powerline next to a road. The helicopter began to spin, the pilot pulled back on the cyclic and lowered the collective, and the helicopter subsequently impacted the ground. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were reported with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8364Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8364Y-2020-07-24), registration cancelled 2020-07-24, S/N 2793, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R22 (BETA) - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2793 - Year built: 1998 - Airframe hours: 3026 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Flying J Services LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 26, 2019 - Departed: Charlotte, TX - Destination: Charlotte, TX - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: serious; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 10, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 769 total, 608 in this make and model, 769 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Lowest ceiling: none ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200124001779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200124001779A), Jan 24, 2020: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Charlotte, TX, Destroyed. Prior to FAA arrival accident scene was tampered with by aircraft owner which is also pilots dad, inlue of going to hospital. The pilot reports while returning… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100865. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9160704&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N8364Y_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - FAA (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13018714&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CONVERSATION%20Fricker-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9159683&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.