Incident report
Robinson R44 crash near Baraboo, WI, United States
unknown2010-05-15
Summary
According to the pilot, he had just departed a gravel road (loading zone) to complete an aerial application to an alfalfa field. Shortly after departure, he executed a right turn and one of the helicopter spray booms contacted the 2 1/2 feet tall alfalfa. The helicopter then began a downward right spin. Subsequently, the spray boom dragged on the alfalfa and "initiated a dynamic rollover." The main rotor blades contacted terrain and the helicopter "cartwheeled" onto its left side. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the main rotor blades, tail boom, tail rotor, and fuselage. The pilot recommended the following: "Ensure adequate altitude before initiating turns, and exercise more caution when over tall grass or crops."
Incident details
Date
2010-05-15
Location
Baraboo, WI, United States
Aircraft
Registration
N570MD
Operator
Operator type
civil
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Probable cause
Weather
VMC
Source
NTSB ↗43.4704, -89.7438
Quick stats
Severityunknown
Fatalities0
Injuries0
SourceNTSB
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