- Date
- July 31, 2023, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arthur, IL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N644MERobinson 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 - Springfield FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230731010519A
- Case key
- 192767
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 from trees during a low-level aerial application flight.
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 he had confirmed that there were no powerlines to avoid before entering a field to perform spray operations. While spraying next to a tree line and approaching a road, the pilot could not recall whether there were powerlines or not. The pilot reported that while making a precautionary maneuver to avoid any potential powerlines, he had forgotten about the tree line. The helicopter struck a tree branch, and subsequently impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N644ME
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 13439
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 917.58
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ras Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Ras Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 2023
- Departed
- Tuscola, IL
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 15, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 403 total · 96 in this make and model · 328 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KMTO, 15 nm away
- METAR
- KMTO 312053Z AUTO 06007KT 020V080 10SM CLR 28/14 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP197 T02780144 56010
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 28, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.