Robinson R-44. Schematics.
Flying 13-foot aircraft through 20-foot window. Rotor blade tangled in severed, frayed power lines.
Federal investigation suggests pilot error
WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed tentatively that a crop-dusting helicopter crash near Elgin occurred because the copter ran into power lines. The crash, on July19 southeast of town, killed the pilot. The facts seem to point to pilot misjudgment. There was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction of the aircraft or its engine, the NTSB said in its preliminary report. The board’s evidence. was based on:
> A witness saw the helicopter make two passes over power lines to dust a cornfield.
> The witness then had gone into a large pole barn and heard – ad felt — the helicopter crash on a third pass. Running outside, the witness saw the wreckage engulfed in flames
> The clearance under the power lines and the corn tassels was less than 20 feet. The R-44 helicopter is only 12 feet, 9 inches from its landing skids to its topside rotor hub. The rotors lift themselves another foot or so in flight
> One power line was severed, a second frayed.
> Debris was within 20 of the power lines.
In crop-dusting, the lower the pass the more effective the pesticide.
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Scorched remnants.Within 20 feet of severed power line path.
High-voltage lines. Hardly taut between twin-pole towers. Dipping lower on a warm summer afternoon.