- Date
- December 15, 2016, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Separ, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N835AKRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161215020429A
- Case key
- 94506
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 abrupt maneuver to avoid electrical wires during the approach, which resulted in a hard landing.
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 pilot reported that, during approach to land at a trading post, he circled the landing area multiple times to search for obstructions. He further reported that, while on final about 20 to 25 ft above the ground, he noticed multiple electrical wires in front of the helicopter. He lowered the collective to avoid the wires, and the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that during approach to land at a trading post, he circled the landing area multiple times to search for obstructions. He further reported that while on final at about 20-25 feet above the ground he noticed multiple electrical wires in front of the helicopter. He lowered the collective to avoid the wires and the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N835AK
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1221
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 806.58
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- September 9, 2016
- Departed
- LRU · Las Cruces, NM
- Destination
- Separ, NM
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 13, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,057 total · 118 in this make and model · 1,057 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KDMN, 36 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 698 KB 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.