- Date
- June 2, 2024, 18:27 local (Jun 3, 2024, 01:27 UTC)
- Place
- Benton City, WA · 46.3024821251609, -119.52323672480136
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2302FSikorsky S-55QT
- 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
- 20240602009059A
- Case key
- 194389
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 altitude operation.
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 stated that the purpose of the flight was to hover over cherry trees in attempt to dry off the orchard following a rain shower. While maneuvering about 30 ft above ground level (agl) at an airspeed of about 20 mph, parallel to power lines on his right side, he performed a turn, and the tail rotor blades contacted and severed the adjacent power lines. The pilot felt a tail-rotor imbalance and opted to land immediately. During the accident sequence, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2302F
- Reported as
- Sikorsky S-55QT
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 55188
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 10,268.2
- Engine
- Garrett TSE331-10UA, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- N2302f LLC
- Registered owner
- N2302f LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 2024 · 9.7 hours before
- Departed
- Benton City, WA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,827 total · 20 in this make and model · 7,243 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- KRLD, 9 nm away
- METAR
- KRLD 030135Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM -RA OVC060 17/15 A2969 RMK AO2 T01710147
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2024, 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.