- Date
- December 5, 2023, 17:30 local (Dec 6, 2023, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Calexico, CA · agricultural field
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N422DXRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- 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
- 20231206021039A
- Case key
- 193822
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 an aerial application flight.
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 was on an aerial application flight and was maneuvering the helicopter at a low altitude. During a decent to a field, the main rotor blade struck a powerline wire. The pilot felt an unusual vibration and performed a precautionary landing. A postflight examination revealed that a main rotor blade sustained substantial damage. No preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N422DX
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 12699
- Built
- 2009
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Merten Aviation Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Merten Aviation Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- CXL
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- KIPL, 11 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KIPL 060053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 22/02 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP184 T02170022=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 165 KB 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.