Mc Kinley Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pearsall, Texas 78061
Monday, May 24, 2010 7:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he and a passenger were checking fields and areas around the fields for any problems or damage. While flying east the pilot put the helicopter into a slip and descent to the north (left) to look at something closer on the left side of the helicopter. During the descent the helicopter hit unseen power lines on its left side, breaking the power lines and seriously injuring the passenger in the left seat. The pilot landed nearby and called for medical assistance for the passenger. The passenger later stated they had been hunting hogs at the time of the accident and the hog they were after had gone under the helicopter from the right to the left and "the pilot put the helicopter into a left slip" and that was the last thing he could remember about the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to see and avoid the power lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/2010
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Pearsall
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78061
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 284908n
Event Location Longitude 0985932w
Event Location Airport Mc Kinley Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID T30
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 586
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID COT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.81
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 7:53 AM 77.0 °F 73.0 °F 88% 29.81 in 10.0 miles
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27079
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 25 2010 2:32PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N927SH
NTSB Number CEN10CA268
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Aircraft Model R22 BETA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3880
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PRENTICE AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3634 PRITCHARD RD
Aircraft Owner City BOKCHITO
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74726-3101
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name William R. Thompson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Uvalde
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 78801
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code T30
Departure City Pearsall
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T30
Destination City Pearsall
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 14 2010 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record bakd
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --