Accident Overview
On July 8, 2017, at approximately 1040 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registration N7224U, impacted terrain following a loss of control while conducting an aerial application flight near Ireland, Indiana. The helicopter was destroyed by a fire that erupted after the impact. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by JR Aviation, Inc., under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from an unknown location at an unknown time.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that while spraying a field and executing a spray turn, he experienced a vibration or shuddering of the entire helicopter, accompanied by an uncommanded right yaw. He applied full left pedal, and the helicopter momentarily corrected, but the right yaw resumed and continued until impact. After the crash, the pilot extricated himself and crawled approximately 20 feet from the wreckage before a fire erupted and consumed the helicopter. When asked whether the event was mechanical or aerodynamic, the pilot stated he believed it was aerodynamic. He noted that as a flight instructor, he had never encountered the type of vibration that occurred during the accident flight.
Examination Findings
Examination of the wreckage was limited due to extensive fire damage. However, no anomalies were found in the components that were able to be inspected.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather reported at a nearby airport included variable wind at 4 knots. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions.