N7122E

On May 31, 2014, a Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (N7122E) was involved in an incident near San Manuel, AZ. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate obstacle clearance altitude from phone wires while performing low-level operations.

The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct low-level aerial operations for cattle herding. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter in an effort to keep the cattle close together and did not notice a phone line in the helicopter's flight path. The main rotor blades contacted the lines and they became entangled in the main rotor head. The helicopter descended from approximately 15 feet above ground level and impacted the terrain hard, collapsing the skids. As a result of the impact, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to both the tail and main rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failure with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR14CA216. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7122E.