- Date
- March 10, 2001, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alvarado, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4009WRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (FSDO)
- FAA report
- 20010310006139A
- Case key
- 51898
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 with a marked static wire.
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
According to the pilot, he flew to an area on his property where he and his passenger planned to test some equipment. The equipment was not related to the helicopter. He stated that the helicopter was in a 2-foot hover beneath a marked static wire that was 30 feet agl. He noticed that the wire began coming closer to the helicopter and initiated a descent; however, the wire continued to descend with the helicopter. Subsequently, the wire contacted the main rotor blades, and the helicopter landed without further incident. The damage to the main rotor blades required their replacement.
Factual narrative
On March 10, 2001, at 1000 central standard time, a Robinson R22 helicopter, N4009W, was substantially damaged when the main rotor blades struck a static wire while hovering near Alvarado, Texas. The private pilot, who was the registered owner of the helicopter, and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the operator's private helipad near Alvarado, Texas, at 0915.
According to the pilot, he flew to an area on his property where he and his passenger planned to test some equipment. The equipment was not related to the helicopter. He stated that the helicopter was in a 2-foot hover beneath a marked static wire that was 30 feet agl. He noticed that the wire began coming closer to the helicopter and initiated a descent; however, the wire continued to descend with the helicopter. Subsequently, the wire contacted the main rotor blades and the helicopter landed without further incident.
The FAA inspector, who examined the helicopter, reported that one main rotor blade had a 3 inch gouge that was 5 feet 2 inches inboard from the blade tip. He stated that the second blade sustained minor damage. According to the owner, the blades required replacement.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4009W
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1381
- Airframe hours
- 2,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David W. Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 22, 2001 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Alvarado, TX
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- April 9, 2000
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 900 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GKY, 17 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.
Other investigations on N4009W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.