MD Helicopter INC MD 900 accident near Highlandville, Missouri, November 27, 2014
On November 27, 2014 at about 5:21 am local time, a 2007 MD Helicopter INC MD 900, registered N902LC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Highlandville, Missouri. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to identify the power line during the initial approach in night visual meteorological conditions and his subsequent failure to avoid the power line once he identified it on final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2014 · about 5:21 am local time
- Place
- Highlandville, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- MD Helicopter INC MD 900, built 2007
- Registration
- N902LC · registry record · serial 900-00118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was executing an off-airport landing during night visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that he had completed two orbits of the area and had selected a large nearby field as the landing site. As the helicopter descended to about 20 ft above ground level, the pilot observed a set of power lines paralleling the helicopter's flightpath that he had not identified during the initial orbits of the landing area. He attempted to move the helicopter left to avoid the power lines, but the main rotor blades inadvertently struck one of them. The pilot maintained control of the helicopter and landed it safely. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to three of the main rotor blades. The remaining two rotor blades sustained minor damage. The pilot did not report any failures or malfunctions with the helicopter before impacting the power lines.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,271 hours in all; 632 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 16, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,110 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 12, 2014; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,499 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW207E (turboshaft); 3,121 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW207E (turboshaft); 3,029 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: Springfield MO at 5:10 am
- Destination: Springfield MO
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 330° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 am from SGF, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 2 |
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.
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.