Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A accident near Arlington, Minnesota, September 6, 2013
On September 6, 2013 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A (helicopter), registered N9005T, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Arlington, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while maneuvering when he removed his hand from the collective control while plugging in his radio connection to his helmet, which resulted in the collective moving to the full-down position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2013 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters INC. TOMCAT MK5A
- Registration
- N9005T · registry record · serial CCI-74-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After taking off, the pilot applied pesticides to a field and proceeded to the next field located about 3 miles away. While en route, the pilot wanted to call his truck driver over the two-way radio. However, the radio connection to his helmet was unplugged, so he reached to plug it in with his right hand while his left hand transferred from the collective to the cyclic. Immediately after he plugged in the radio connection to his helmet, the collective slammed into the full-down position. The pilot then quickly grabbed the collective and raised it up. He noticed that the helicopter was losing altitude, that the main rotor rpm was decreasing, and that the engine rpm and main rotor rpm needles were split. He twisted the throttle control back and forth with no effect and then attempted to autorotate. The helicopter touched down hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Also, a review of the maintenance logbooks for the helicopter did not show any entries regarding malfunctions with the collective control during previous flights, and the helicopter operated normally during the first flight of the day. The pilot stated that he could have chosen to not unplug his helmet and keep his hand on the collective control at all times, which would have prevented the collective from slamming down while he was connecting his radio cables to his helmet. This model helicopter does not have a friction control mechanism on the collective control, and, if it is not held in place by the pilot, it can move up or down during flight. It is likely that, when the pilot removed his hand from the collective control and was distracted with plugging in his helmet radio connection, the collective moved to the full-down position and that he did not have enough altitude to recover the helicopter.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unneccessary action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 901 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 308 in the last 90 days; 155 in the last 30 days; 851 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,734 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 2013; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scotts Helicopter Services Inc
The flight
- Departed from: Arlington MN at 2:20 pm
- Destination: Arlington MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft; ovct at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from NWS, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9005T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.