- Date
- June 18, 2023, 12:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place
- Louise, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N932SHRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- 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
- 20230618007989A
- Case key
- 192398
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 directional control in gusting wind conditions.
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
According to the pilot, it was a windy day and also his first day performing aerial spray operations. While attempting to turn the helicopter from a west to east heading at about 10 feet off the ground, the pilot reported he lost directional control and the helicopter started to spin clockwise. His efforts to maintain control were not successful. He stated that the wind was beating him up, and most of his flight training did not include windy/gusty conditions. The helicopter impacted a rice field, which resulted in damage to the tail boom and rotor blades. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N932SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3899
- Built
- 2005
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Louise, TX
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 506 total · 254 in this make and model · 191 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KARM, 23 nm away
- METAR
- KARM 181735Z AUTO 21014G22KT 10SM CLR 34/24 A2981
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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.