Fairmont Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delavan, Minnesota 56023
Friday, May 25, 2012 17:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was spraying a drainage ditch when he encountered a railroad track embankment. He increased altitude to clear the tracks, but, as he descended back into the ditch on the opposite side of the tracks to continue spraying, he observed a set of power lines in his flight path. He attempted to maneuver to avoid the lines, but the left landing skid of the helicopter struck the lines. The helicopter subsequently impacted an adjacent corn field about 250 feet from the power lines. The pilot was seriously injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the helicopter before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with power lines during an aerial application flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Delavan
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56023
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434605N
Event Location Longitude 0940106w
Event Location Airport Fairmont Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FRM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 19
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1162
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1735 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 247
Weather Observation Facility ID FRM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1162
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30013
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 2 2012 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11ZX
NTSB Number CEN12CA319
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369HS
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 640609S
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1.7
Airframe Hours 8836.1
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Big Bird Leasing, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City St. Peter
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56082-5138
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Teryjon Aviation, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City St. Peter
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 56082
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City Delavan
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Delavan
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 13 2012 10:09AM
User who most recently changed record sort
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --