- Date
- August 5, 2022, 11:00, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Maynard, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N619RBRobinson 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
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20220805007629A
- Case key
- 105687
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
An impact with a powerline as a result of an unexpected wind gust.
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 during an aerial application flight in a helicopter, he experienced a gust of wind that caused the nose of the helicopter to dip and lose altitude, which resulted in an impact with a powerline and substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N619RB
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11087
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 3,769
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Gateway Helicopter Tours, In, doing business as Precision Aerial Service
- Registered owner
- November Alpha LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 30, 2022 · 41 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 600 in this make and model · 900 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KOLZ, 10 nm away
- METAR
- KOLZ 051555Z AUTO 15007G12KT 10SM CLR 25/21 A3010 RMK A01
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 24, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.