- Date
- July 4, 2008, 18:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ottawa, IL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N31138Robinson R44 II
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Du Page FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080704843249A
- Case key
- 68639
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 the power transmission lines. Contributing to the accident was the unmarked power transmission lines.
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 helicopter impacted unmarked power transmission lines as the pilot maneuvered at a low altitude over a river. The helicopter impacted the river and separated into several pieces. The pilot and his passengers were not injured and were rescued by nearby boaters.
Factual narrative
The helicopter impacted unmarked power transmission lines as the pilot maneuvered at low altitude over a river. The helicopter impacted the river and separated into several pieces. The pilot and his passengers were not injured and were rescued by nearby boaters.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31138
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11313
- Airframe hours
- 546.9
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Midwestern Helicopter, LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 2008
- Departed
- 8N2 · Ottawa, IL
- Destination
- 8N2 · Ottawa, 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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 239 total · 28 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- VYS, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.