N275RA

Substantial
Minor

BELL 206S/N: 1823

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
NTSB Number
CEN10CA446
Location
St. Olaf, IA
Event ID
20100730X22323
Coordinates
42.913055, -91.340835
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during the agricultural flight.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N275RA
Make
BELL
Serial Number
1823
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
1975
Model / ICAO
206B06
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
ROMA AIR CORP
Address
105 GATOR BLVD
Status
Deregistered
City
BELLE GLADE
State / Zip Code
FL 33430-2061
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that he was performing agricultural spraying operations in the helicopter when the accident happened. He stated that he was making a final "trim" pass along the northern boundary of the field and heading west into the afternoon sun. He said that as he finished his pass, he looked down at the spray boom to insure that the nozzles were shut off and when he looked back up he saw the wires that crossed his path as they contacted the helicopter. The helicopter became uncontrollable and impacted into a field in a nose low attitude. The pilot made no mention of pre-impact difficulties with the helicopter in his statement.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA446