- Date
- July 6, 2022, 09:21 local (16:21 UTC)
- Place
- Wenatchee, WA · Cherry Orchard
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N130HAHiller UH-12E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220706012029A
- Case key
- 105452
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 power lines during low-level operations in light rain conditions.
Findings · 2
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 the helicopter at low altitude over a cherry field in light rain conditions. As he air taxied about 30 ft above the ground and about 15 knots, the helicopter struck a power line and landed inverted on a tractor. The helicopter was destroyed by the postcrash fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N130HA
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- HA3030
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 7,326.5
- Engine
- Lycoming VO540C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- C&C Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- C&C Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2022
- Airport
- NA
- Equipment
- None
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
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 11, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,411.8 total · 1,403.2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAT, 4 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KEAT 061655Z AUTO 25005KT 10SM -RA OVC100 17/14 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB03 SLP130 P0000 T01720139=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 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.
Other investigations on N130HA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.