- Date
- February 16, 2025, 08:35 local (14:35 UTC)
- Place
- Cookville, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6100NMD Helicopters 369FF
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- 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
- 20250216002319A
- Case key
- 199712
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 adequate clearance from a tree during the low altitude operation.
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 and his passenger were conducting a wildlife damage management flight in a heavily wooded area. He hovered the helicopter about 70 ft above ground level and coordinated with the passenger to locate the target. He then moved the helicopter aft and right for the passenger to have a better view of the target, when the helicopter shuddered and descended as the main and tail rotor blades collided with a tree. The pilot ascended out of the wooded area and located an open field for a precautionary landing, then landed without further incident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades and tail rotor blades. After landing, they walked back to the accident area and located one tree that was taller than the surrounding canopy and observed cut tree limbs on the ground beneath the tree. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6100N
- Reported as
- MD Helicopters 369FF
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0216FF
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 2,297.2
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Public use
- Operator
- Usda Aphis Ws Atoc
- Registered owner
- Usda Aphis Ws Atoc
- Airworthiness certificate
- None
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 17, 2025
- Departed
- TBN · Fort Leonard Wood, MO
- Airport
- TBN · Waynesville-St Robert Rgnl Forney Fld
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Satellite tracking 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 6, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 6,600 total · 72 in this make and model · 6,577 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 78 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- KTBN, 6 nm away
- METAR
- KTBN 161355Z AUTO 27009KT 6SM -SN OVC018 M06/M09 A3008 RMK AO2 SNE30SNB31E32UPB32E34SNB34 CIG 016 RWY33 SLP202 P0000 T10621093 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2025, 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.