Robinson R22-B2 N971SL

Summary

On 17 February 1999 at about 15:00 local time, a Robinson R22-B2 registered N971SL was involved in an accident near Freer, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 1999 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Freer, Texas, United States

Coordinates

27.8795, -98.6099

Aircraft

Robinson R22-B2

Registration

N971SL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Private Ranch → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW99LA083

Nobody was injured.

The passenger's inadvertent interference with the cyclic control which consequently restricted the control's movement.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The passenger inadvertently blocked the movement of the cyclic control with his netting gun. The pilot and passenger were hired by a private ranch owner to net deer for removal from his property. During the flight, the passenger missed a deer with one net. The pilot then entered a hover 20 to 25 feet above the deer. After the passenger reloaded the gun, the pilot started to descend when the helicopter rolled to the left. The pilot noticed that the butt of the gun was hooked around the cyclic t-bar. Before the pilot could regain control, the helicopter impacted the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.