- Date
- May 2, 2024, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lewiston, ID
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N42PLAerospatiale SA315B
- 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
- 20240502004979A
- Case key
- 194210
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 a low level aerial application.
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
According to the pilot, while performing an aerial application on a field, the helicopter struck a set of power lines that he was previously aware of and had been working around during the flight. Following the impact with wires, he initiated a forced landing to a field. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, transmission, tail rotor drive shaft, and tail boom. The pilot reported there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42PL
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale SA315B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2438
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 10,601.8
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB1, 590 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Essential Flight Operations LLC
- Registered owner
- Essential Flight Operations LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 8, 2024 · 21.3 hours before
- Departed
- S84 · Cottonwood, ID
- Destination
- LWS · Lewiston, ID
- Airport
- N/A
- Equipment
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- March 21, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,993 total · 512 in this make and model · 1,847 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 60 °F
- Observed at
- LWS, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.