Robinson R44 N441CB

Summary

On 3 May 2009 at about 19:30 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N441CB, operated by Guidance Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, United States. 4 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

3 May 2009 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottonwood, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.7767, -111.9983

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N441CB

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Guidance Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prescott → Prescott

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA224

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from wires.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The local sightseeing flight departed Prescott to tour the Jerome, Cottonwood, and Verde Rivers areas in Arizona. The pilot was maneuvering through a dry river bed in a hilly area. He did not see a set of power lines until they hit the windshield about level with the top of the instrument panel. The nose immediately pitched up and then quickly pitched forward. The pilot estimated that the airspeed was 70 knots and that the altitude was 150 feet above ground level. He lowered the collective to enter an autorotation but delayed the flare until passing over a ridgeline. He was able to bleed off most of the airspeed and leveled the skids prior to touchdown; however, the skids dug into soft dirt and the helicopter pitched forward. The main rotor blades were still at 100 percent rpm when they struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. The helicopter rocked back and came to rest upright on the skids. The main rotor blades, mast, firewall, tail boom, and tail rotor driveshaft sustained substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.