History of Flight
On August 31, 2013, at approximately 1145 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R44 II, registration N3156U, collided with power lines and crashed next to a residence in Caballo, New Mexico. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The flight was operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Truth or Consequences Airport, New Mexico, about 1130.
According to the operator, the pilot was conducting a short sightseeing flight over Elephant Butte Reservoir and planned to fly over the home of one of the passengers. Two witnesses who lived across the street observed the helicopter hovering in front of the passenger's home, with dust being stirred up by the rotor wash. The helicopter then turned and began to fly away but collided with two service power lines. Another witness, a neighbor, saw the helicopter fly underneath and collide with the power lines, severing the tail boom. The helicopter struck the ground and bounced. A different witness reported seeing the helicopter flying extremely low; he stated that it cleared the power lines, circled back, and then the tail boom struck the lines. The impact pulled two power poles from the ground, and the helicopter hit the ground and bounced.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 34, held a commercial pilot certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument-helicopter ratings, as well as a flight instructor certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument-helicopter ratings. His second-class airman medical certificate, dated May 1, 2013, had no restrictions or limitations. According to the operator, the pilot had accrued 1,153 total flight hours, all in rotorcraft-helicopters, with 1,090 hours as pilot-in-command and 85.7 hours in a Robinson R44.
Aircraft Information
N3156U, serial number 11486, a model R44 II Raven, was manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Company in 2006. It was powered by a Textron-Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 engine, rated at 235 shaft horsepower. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the maintenance records, the last annual inspection was completed on July 26, 2013, at a Hobbs meter time of 708.6 hours. At the time of the accident, the Hobbs meter read 728.6 hours.
Meteorological Information
Weather observations from the Truth or Consequences Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), located about 14 miles north of the accident site, recorded the following: at 1053, variable wind at 3 knots, clear sky, temperature 20°C, dew point 13°C, altimeter 30.15 inHg. At 1153, wind 090° at 5 knots, clear sky, temperature 30°C, dew point 10°C, altimeter 30.13 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a field south of a private residence and on the east side of State Route 187 at mile post 31. The helicopter came to rest on its right side. One main rotor blade remained attached to the hub; the other was found in several pieces. The tail boom was severed from the fuselage, and the tail rotor assembly was separated from the tail boom. The front of the cockpit was open, exposing the instrument panel and seats. Power train and flight control continuity were established. Two broken power poles, one holding a power transformer, lay nearby, with two downed power lines uncoiled in some places.
Medical and Pathological Information
A toxicology report from the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute detected no carbon monoxide, ethanol, or drugs in the pilot's blood. Cyanide tests were not performed. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator attributed the pilot's death to blunt trauma.
Tests and Research
According to a Sierra Electric Cooperative Power Company spokesman, the helicopter struck two single-phase lines. The impact broke two wooden power poles. The lines were described as No. 4 ACSR (aluminum conduit, steel reinforced) 7/1 power lines, each carrying 14,400 volts. The power company had no monitoring devices for power interruptions but received the first service call at 1209. The FAA's Southwest Regional Operations Center received the accident call at 1153.