Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II accident near Ithaca, Nebraska, July 28, 2022
On July 28, 2022 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 2005 Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registered N719TF, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Ithaca, Nebraska. 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 clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2022 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ithaca, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, built 2005
- Registration
- N719TF · no longer on the register · serial 10990
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was enroute to the next field he would spray and used a handheld GPS unit to navigate. When he finished imputing information into the GPS, he looked up and saw power lines across his flight path. The pilot pulled up on the collective and cyclic to climb; however, the helicopter struck the upper power line. The pilot entered an autorotation, during which the pilot felt unusual vibrations, but had full authority of the flight controls. The helicopter settled into a mature stand of corn, which resulted in structural damage to the tail boom and main rotor system. The pilot stated that he should have climbed to 500 ft agl before he used his GPS to navigate to the next field.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › (general) › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,010 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 145 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 6, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,854 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 23, 2022; 27 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (piston); 2,854 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Blue Stem Leasing LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KAHQ, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAHQ 281715Z AUTO 02006KT 10SM CLR 25/11 A3011 RMK A02 TO2520108
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 11, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN22LA345 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array CEN22LA345 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N719TF 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.