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Helicopter Ground Impact During Agricultural Flight

Eagle Lake, TX, United States

On June 25, 2015, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA BETA operated by SILVER STAR HELICOPTERS LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Eagle Lake, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to secure the iPad during flight, resulting in an inadvertent cyclic input, and collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A helicopter struck terrain during a low-level agricultural flight after the pilot's unsecured iPad slid onto the collective. The pilot applied forward cyclic while retrieving the device, causing the impact and substantial damage.

Incident Overview During a low-level agricultural flight, a helicopter impacted terrain and sustained substantial damage to its fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that an unsecured iPad on his lap slid off and landed on the collective control. While the pilot was retrieving the device, he inadvertently applied forward cyclic, which led to the ground impact. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, or location.

Contributing factors

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintained

Related events

Same aircraft family

  • 15 Aug 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
  • 13 Aug 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II (Collin Johnson)
  • 9 Aug 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 (Cedar Ridge Aviation, LLC)
  • 2 Aug 2026 — Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (DK Aircraft LLC)
  • 20 Jul 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 (Cedar Ridge Aviation)
  • 18 Jul 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 (Helicrop LLC)
  • 18 Jul 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
  • 16 Jul 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II (D&p LLC)
  • 8 Jun 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
  • 30 May 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66 (Prestige Helicopters)
  • 26 May 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66 (Longhorn Helicopters)
  • 17 Apr 2026 — ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II (Concho Aviation LLC)

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