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CEN14CA426

2014-08-13 · Lancaster, Wisconsin, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 73C

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's inadequate monitoring of the environment and failure to maintain clearance from transmission wires during an aerial application flight.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that while conduction an aerial application flight, he did not see power lines in his path and the helicopter struck the wires that and then the ground. The main rotor blades severed the tail boom of the helicopter during the event. In his report, the pilot listed no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter. The pilot reported that while conduction an aerial application flight, he did not see power lines in his path and the helicopter struck the wires that and then the ground. The main rotor blades severed the tail boom of the helicopter during the event. In his report, the pilot listed no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Wire-Awareness of condition - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_CEN14CA426.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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