- Date
- July 20, 2021, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mineral Point, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N44XBRobinson Helicopter 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 FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210720014179A
- Case key
- 103963
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 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 of the helicopter was conducting agricultural application when he noticed the oil pressure light flickering just before making the 180o turn for his next run, and he turned toward a cornfield and made a precautionary landing. The pilot reported that the landing was soft, but the spray boom broke during landing. Two witnesses reported that the helicopter was maneuvering at low altitude and struck a wire before landing in the cornfield. They both reported that the pilot got out and examined the helicopter, got back in, took off, and departed the area. Photographs taken by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector showed that the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that he did not feel the impact of the rotor blades with the wire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44XB
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1215
- Built
- 2002
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Mf Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Mf Helicopters LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- n/a
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRJ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.0 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.