- Date
- February 5, 2023, 16:30 local (Feb 6, 2023, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Yakima, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7452FHughes 269C
- 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
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230205001859I
- Case key
- 106693
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 a powerline while flying at low altitude over a river.
Findings · 4
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, while flying low along the river, the helicopter collided with an unseen wire. The pilot subsequently accomplished a landing in the shallow water of the river without further incident. A main rotor blade was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7452F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 760522
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 3,092
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Halln LLC
- Registered owner
- Halln LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 2, 2023
- Departed
- KYKM · Yakima, WA
- Destination
- KYKM · Yakima, WA
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 3, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 173 total · 31 in this make and model · 91 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.91 inHg
- Observed at
- KYKM, 10 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KYKM 060053Z AUTO 16003KT 9SM BKN120 06/03 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP136 T00610033=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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 N7452F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.