- Date
- January 10, 2023, 12:40, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Fowlerton, TX · ranch land with trees
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N811SRobinson 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
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20230110000379A
- Case key
- 106607
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 maintain clearance with trees, which resulted in an uncontrollable spin due to tail rotor damage.
Findings · 3
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 the flight’s purpose was to guide cattle while at low altitude. During a turn with trees in the vicinity, the pilot heard a noise and felt a bump in the flight controls. The helicopter began to spin uncontrollably and impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor system, tail rotor system, fuselage, and tail boom. Examination revealed that the tail rotor gear box and tail rotor (TR) blades were separated from the helicopter. The gear box housing fracture surfaces were consistent with overload. The size/shape of the dents and tree debris lodged in the leading edge of the TR blades was consistent with the size/shape of the tree branches that were broken. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N811S
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 30072
- Built
- 2020
- Airframe hours
- 691
- Engine
- Lycoming 0540F-1B5, 210 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Smith Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Smith Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 28, 2022
- Departed
- PRI · Cotulla, TX
- Destination
- PRI · Cotulla, TX
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 36,920 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 128 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOT, 28 nm away
- METAR
- KCOT 101853Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR 24/15 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP172 T0239015
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.