History of Flight
On May 2, 2021, at 1318 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-44 helicopter, registration N4528T, was substantially damaged when it struck power lines and crashed near Wingate, North Carolina. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operating under 14 CFR Part 137 as an aerial application flight, spraying fungicide on a wheat field.
Witnesses reported that this was the first time they observed the northwest portion of the field, which contained multiple power lines, being sprayed. The helicopter had been applying fungicide all morning, flying about 15 ft above the 3-ft-tall wheat. After landing for lunch and reloading fungicide, the pilot departed to resume spraying. GPS data showed the helicopter completed its first pass northbound, then turned southbound; the track ended near the main wreckage.
Witnesses in a nearby home heard a loud noise and lost electricity. They saw the helicopter descend nose-down before impacting the field near power lines. One witness stated the helicopter appeared to become entangled in wires before descending nose-first.
Meteorological Information
Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport (EQY), about 12 miles northwest of the accident site, reported scattered clouds at 3,800 ft at 1253. Astronomical data indicated the sun was at azimuth 180° and elevation 71° at the accident time.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The cockpit and cabin were crushed and deformed aft. The tail boom remained attached, but the empennage (vertical stabilizers, horizontal stabilizer, tail rotor and gearbox) separated. Windscreen and windows were fragmented. Main rotor blades remained attached; one blade was bent downward, the other bent in a ‘U’ shape. The agricultural hopper was breached and crushed.
The empennage was found 99 ft at 336° from the main wreckage. The lower vertical stabilizer had trailing-edge impact deformation. The tail rotor gearbox was intact but separated, found 112 ft at 208°. One tail rotor blade had a 5-inch inboard portion attached; a 14.5-inch midspan section was 170 ft at 44°. Another blade had a 13.5-inch inboard portion. A 5-inch tip section exhibited impact scars consistent with wire strike and red paint transfer from the tail rotor guard.
Airframe and Engine Examination
All major components were located. No evidence of preimpact failures was found in the airframe or main rotor system. The main drive belts, clutch, and drive continuity were normal. Tail rotor gearbox mounts showed overload fractures. Impact deformation to the lower vertical fin was consistent with tail rotor blade contact. Tail rotor blade tip leading edges were deformed opposite to normal rotation.
Cyclic and collective controls were present but could not be moved due to cockpit crushing. The cyclic torque tube was fractured midspan. The fore/aft bellcrank was partially separated; the rod end was fractured with overload signatures. Tail rotor control push-pull tubes were continuous from the aft cabin bulkhead to the empennage separation point. Engine examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
GPS Data Examination
The helicopter was equipped with a GPS navigation device for aerial application. The non-volatile memory was processed; data showed the accident flight lasted about 2 minutes 41 seconds. Recording may have ended up to 10 seconds before the accident due to buffering. During the first two passes, the track showed a climb and descent near power lines. On the final southerly pass, the climb and descent occurred immediately after the turn and before the wires. The track showed the helicopter descending toward the power lines where wreckage came to rest before data ended.