- Date
- June 8, 2026, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Mayesville, SC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N144CDRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260608006279A
- Case key
- 203147
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 remain clear of a power line during an aerial application flight.
Findings · 2
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 of the aerial application helicopter explained that he flew around the cornfield to identify hazards to flight (wires, houses, terrain, features, etc.) and then began aerial application operations. About 50 acres into the aerial application, the pilot was conducting a turn and checking his GPS when the glare from the sun made it difficult to see. The pilot described that he then misjudged the helicopter’s clearance from power lines and the helicopter impacted one of the top wires on the powerline with right skid and application boom. The helicopter then impacted the ground and came to rest on its left side, seriously injuring the pilot and resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor system, engine mounts, fuselage, and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N144CD
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0602
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 3,899.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F15, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Little Gator Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 15, 2026 · 24.4 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 25, 2026
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,758.7 total · 2,867.2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- SMS, 11 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSMS 081935Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM CLR 33/22 A3010 RMK AO2
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.