No fatalities

7 Aug 2015: ROBINSON R44 — Deakins Black Nine Dairy, LLC — Kansasville, WI

Kansasville, WI, United States

On 7 Aug 2015, a ROBINSON R44 operated by Deakins Black Nine Dairy, LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Kansasville, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to see and avoid power lines that were low to the ground and a green color that blended with the background crops. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a pesticide spraying flight, a helicopter collided with power lines only 13 feet high and green in color, which the pilot said were impossible to see against the crops. The canopy hit the lines, which then slid and caught the skids, causing the helicopter to nosedive into the ground.

Accident

A helicopter conducting agricultural spraying operations struck power lines while flying over a field. The pilot reported that before starting the spraying pass, he surveyed the field for obstacles and saw none. He then began spraying and collided with power lines.

According to the pilot, the power lines were only 13 feet off the ground and were green in color, blending with the background crops. The pilot stated, "It was in my opinion [that it was] impossible to see the wires that I hit."

Investigation

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the accident site. The inspector determined that the helicopter's canopy first contacted the power lines. Then the lines slid beneath the helicopter and caught the skids. As a result, the helicopter nosed over and impacted the terrain.

No further details about the helicopter, operator, or location were provided in the initial report.

Contributing factors

PilotAwareness of conditionEffect on operation