- Date
- February 28, 2004, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7184GRobinson R44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040228011559A
- Case key
- 58848
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 inadequate visual lookout and his failure to obtain/maintain clearance from the transmission wire during the takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were the transmission wire and the pole.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground after contacting a power line and pole during takeoff. The pilot's accident report stated, "I cleared the area did a slow vertical liftoff and a left pedal turn. I was instantly in the wires which were [approximately] 10-12 [feet] north of depot and [approximately] 14-15 [feet] high. Obviously I didn't see the wires and have never seen wires that close to a fuel depot. ... The tail rotor got in the wires first and actually 'reeled' me backwards into the pole. Then the main rotor made contact. Then we hit the ground. It took me a few seconds to kill the engine as we were being bounced around so violently." His safety recommendation was, "The wires should at the very least been marked or identified in some way. (sign, placard) Most importantly they shouldn't have been so close to fuel depot 15-20 [feet] or so low. They should have been underground."
Factual narrative
On February 28, 2004, about 1200 central standard time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N7184G, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground, after contacting a power line, while departing Burlington Municipal Airport (BUU), near Burlington, Wisconsin. Visual Meteorological Conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight's destination was the Grand Geneva Resort Airport (C02), near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
The flight departed from Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB), near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and landed at C02. C02 did not have fuel service. The pilot flew to BUU for fuel for the return flight to ARB that day. The pilot's accident report stated:
I flew into Burlington from the south directly to the fuel depot. There
was a fixed wing aircraft at the south of the depot (not fueling) so I
wanted to stay as far left as I could because of rotor wash. I landed
the craft near the north end of depot for same reason. After receiving
fuel, did my preflight and started the aircraft. I cleared the area did
a slow vertical liftoff and a left pedal turn. I was instantly in the
wires which were [approximately] 10-12 [feet] north of depot and
[approximately] 14-15 [feet] high. Obviously I didn't see the wires
and have never seen wires that close to a fuel depot. ... The tail rotor
got in the wires first and actually 'reeled' me backwards into the pole.
Then the main rotor made contact. Then we hit the ground. It took me
a few seconds to kill the engine as we were being bounced around so
violently.
The pilot did not indicate any mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight on his report. His safety recommendation was:
The wires should at the very least been marked or identified in some
way. (sign, placard) Most importantly they shouldn't have been so
close to fuel depot 15-20 [feet] or so low. They should have been
underground. This was a very dangerous set-up.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7184G
- Reported as
- Robinson R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0937
- Airframe hours
- 140
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeff J Johnston
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 2003 · 140 hours before
- Departed
- BUU · Burlington Muni, WI
- Destination
- C02 · Lake Geneva, WI
- Airport
- BUU · Burlington Muni
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- September 9, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 323 total · 75 in this make and model · 175 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- BUU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.