Robinson R66 N166LW

Summary

On 15 September 2021 at about 20:00 local time, a Robinson R66 registered N166LW, operated by Thompson Flying Service LLC, was involved in an accident near Reynoldsville, Illinois, United States. One person was 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

15 September 2021 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Reynoldsville, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

37.3673, -89.3951

Aircraft

Robinson R66

Registration

N166LW

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Thompson Flying Service LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McClure → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA421

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the wire during low altitude operations in windy conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight, the wind was about 10-15 mph from the south. During the flight, the pilot noted that the wind created a “pocket of turbulence” over a wire due to a gap in nearby trees. As the helicopter went over the wire, a pocket of descending air pushed the helicopter into the wire. The pilot made an uneventful precautionary landing at his nearby landing site; the main rotor blades sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.