N7143Y

On June 29, 2019, about 1240 central daylight time, a Robinson R-22 (Beta), N7143Y, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Garwood, Texas. The commercial pilot and sole occupant sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 crop pollination flight.

The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to fly low-level over a field of rice for crop pollination. The pilot reported that the helicopter, while flying about three ft above the rice, was pushed vertically towards the powerlines due to a "gust of air or thermal from the differing vegetation." The main rotor blades of the helicopter impacted a wire about 45 ft above ground level. The helicopter impacted terrain after the wire strike and came to rest in the field. The pilot performed and emergency shutdown and egressed from the helicopter.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, the fuselage, the tail boom, and the tail rotor system. Damage from a wire strike was observed to the main rotor blades and to the main rotor mast.

The wire was part of a group of secondary distribution wires that carried 240-volts of power. The wire sustained damage from the impact but remained intact and did not separate from the utility poles. The wire and surrounding wires did not have aerial markers installed, nor were they required to.

The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine that would have precluded normal operation.