- Date
- July 20, 2021, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- West Liberty, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N983HARobinson Helicopter R44 II
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210720013309A
- Case key
- 103560
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 see and avoid a wire while maneuvering at low altitude during an aerial application flight, resulting in a collision with the wire.
Findings · 1
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 he was performing an aerial application pass when he felt a “big tug” on the helicopter. The pilot realized he had struck a wire as the helicopter pitched up and started to slow. The helicopter flew about 150 yards when the pilot felt another “huge jerk” on the rear of the helicopter. The helicopter started to spin and rotated about 2-3 times before it impacted the ground and rolled over coming to rest on its left side. On exiting the helicopter, the pilot observed the wire wrapped around the helicopter. It had cut into the tail rotor gearbox “tearing it” off the helicopter. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot reported that prior to conducting the aerial application pass, he circled the field and did not observe any obstructions. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N983HA
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10464
- Built
- 2004
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 1 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KMUT, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KMUT 202215Z AUTO 30005KT 10SM CLR 30/21 A3006 RMK AO2
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 5, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.