- Date
- June 1, 2003, 11:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N991RWRobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030601010579A
- Case key
- 57119
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 an adequate visual lookout.
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
The helicopter collided with a wire during high reconnaissance operations for a pinnacle approach. The pilot was on his third pattern around the pinnacle when the helicopter collided with a wire that was strung from a pole to the side of a mountain. The wire wrapped around the main rotor swash plate and the pilot entered an autorotation onto a hillside. The tail rotor and boom were damaged upon touchdown. The pilot estimated his altitude was 400 feet above ground level (agl) when the collision occurred.
Factual narrative
On June 1, 2003, about 1120 mountain standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N991RW, collided with a wire while maneuvering near North Las Vegas, Nevada. Silver State Helicopters was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local instructional flight departed North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) about 1100. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported practicing high reconnaissance operations for a pinnacle approach. He was on his third pattern around the pinnacle when the helicopter collided with a wire that was strung from a pole to the side of a mountain. The wire wrapped around the main rotor swash plate and the pilot entered an autorotation onto a hillside. The tail rotor and boom were damaged upon touchdown. The pilot estimated his altitude was 400 feet above ground level (agl) when the collision occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N991RW
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3451
- Airframe hours
- 14.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-JJA, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Silver State Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 2003 · 9.8 hours before
- Departed
- KVGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- KVGT
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
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 65 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KLAS, 15 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 N991RW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.