Robinson R-22 BETA II N8340J
4 December 1998 · Deming, New Mexico, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 4 December 1998 at about 15:45 local time, a Robinson R-22 BETA II registered N8340J, operated by Ernest F. Hurt, was involved in an accident near Deming, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Deming, New Mexico, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 BETA II
- Registration
- N8340J
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Ernest F. Hurt
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN99FA024
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance of the transmission wire. Factors were the transmission wire, and the glaring sunlight condition.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot had been herding cattle with his helicopter and was returning home, when the helicopter impacted an electrical transmission wire, 25 feet 3 inches above the ground. The wire was oriented 085-265 degrees, and the pilot's flight path was 220 degrees. At the time of the accident, the sun's altitude was 18 degrees above the horizon, and its azimuth was 133 degrees east of north.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R-22 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1998 | Robinson R-22 | Lowerlake, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Oct 1998 | Robinson R-22 | Scappoose, Oregon, United States | Hillsboro Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 1998 | Robinson R-22 BETA | Sacramento, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 1999 | Robinson R-22-MARINER | West Boca Raton, Florida, United States | Volar Helicopters, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1999 | Robinson R-22 | Azusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Apr 1999 | Robinson R-22 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Chena River Aviation | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 1998 | Lockheed SP-2H | Reserve, New Mexico, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 19 Jan 1998 | Martin VARIEZE | Artesia, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Jan 1998 | Piper PA-32RT-300 | Taos, New Mexico, United States | Flight Training Center | No injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1998 | Air Tractor AT-502B | Portales, New Mexico, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Sep 1998 | Jobe's TE-1 | Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Mar 1998 | Beechcraft 58 | Taos, New Mexico, United States | Ican Enterprises, Inc. | No injuries | - |