- Date
- July 31, 2019, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fessenden, ND
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3066TRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190731010839A
- Case key
- 99976
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 wires during an agricultural application flight.
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 pilot reported that, during the agricultural application flight into rising terrain, he saw power wires. He said he "lowered the collective…slightly nose down" to attempt to go under the wires, but the helicopter struck the wires, rolled right, and started descending. The helicopter touched down, bounced, spun right, and then rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, during the aerial application flight into rising terrain, he saw the powerline wires when the airspeed was about 40 knots. The helicopter struck the wires and rolled to the right, and subsequently descended. The helicopter touched down upright and bounced. The nose of the helicopter spun to the right and the right skid struck the ground. The helicopter rolled onto its left side and stopped. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3066T
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11939
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 1,330.1
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Dakota Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Executive Air Taxi Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 26, 2019
- Departed
- D54 · Fessenden, ND
- Destination
- Fessenden, ND
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 20, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,866 total · 239 in this make and model · 3,740 as pilot in command · 153 in the last 90 days · 136 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- K46D, 23 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB 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.