What happened
On May 15, 2007, a Robinson R22, registration N456PH, struck a pole and impacted the ground during either takeoff or landing at a ranch in Midland, Texas. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan, and visual meteorological conditions were prevailing. The pilot was not injured and was able to extricate himself from the wreckage and walk away from the site.
The accident remained unreported to the authorities until March 10, 2009, when a local rancher contacted the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Lubbock, Texas, seeking permission to dispose of the wreckage located on his property. An FAA inspector subsequently visited the site and confirmed that the accident had occurred approximately two years prior.