- Date
- June 25, 2013, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- The Dalles, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N74666Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminiastration
- FAA report
- 20130625013759A
- Case key
- 87657
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 see and avoid wires while maneuvering at a low-altitude, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the wires.
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 he was maneuvering at a low altitude over a cherry orchard as part of a drying operation. The light was low due to cloudy weather conditions and he did not see corroded copper wires that were adjacent to the orchard. He noticed a pole that had shiny wires on one side, which gave him the illusion that that was the end of the power line, since he could not see the other connected pole that was obscured by trees. The main rotor blades were substantially damaged when they contacted the wire. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was maneuvering at a low altitude over a cherry orchard as part of a drying operation. The light was low due to cloudy weather conditions and he did not see corroded copper wires that were adjacent to the orchard. He noticed a pole that had shinny wires on one side, which gave him the illusion that that was the end of the power line, since he could not see the other connected pole that was obscured by trees. The main rotor blades were substantially damaged when they contacted the wire. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74666
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10845
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 532
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DLS · The Dalles, OR
- Destination
- DLS · The Dalles, OR
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,966 total · 90 in this make and model · 3,822 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.