- Date
- July 18, 2026, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Scribner, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N26EHRobinson Helicopter R44 Raven 1
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 1, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260718010589A
- Case key
- 203591
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 power lines while maneuvering at low-level altitude during an agricultural 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 he was conducting aerial pollination in a corn field. Before beginning the pollination, the pilot flew an inspection circuit around the area to identify potential hazards and observed a center-pivot irrigation system and the power lines along the east and west sides of the field. The pilot reported that he completed about 3/4 of the field pollination and had two passes remaining. While turning the helicopter to enter another pass, the pilot focused on the target row, lost sight of the power lines, and the helicopter struck a power line wire with the tail rotor. Following the wire strike, the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing. During the landing, the helicopter contacted the ground on the right skid, bounced, and yawed slightly to the right before it came to a stop. A post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the right rear aft strut mounting area, and damage to the pilot seat floor structure at the forward strut attachment. The pilot reported that there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26EH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 Raven 1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1128
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 2,314
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 2026
- Departed
- KSCB · Scribner, NE
- Airport
- KSCB · Scribner State
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 28, 2026
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 337 total · 101 in this make and model · 244 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KFET, 13 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KFET 191215Z AUTO 08004KT 10SM SCT065 23/20 A3002 RMK AO2 T02270198=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.0 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.