Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II N644ME accident near Arthur, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a low-level aerial application flight.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he had confirmed that there were no powerlines to avoid before entering a field to perform spray operations. While spraying next to a tree line and approaching a road, the pilot could not recall whether there were powerlines or not. The pilot reported that while making a precautionary maneuver to avoid any potential powerlines, he had forgotten about the tree line. The helicopter struck a tree branch, and subsequently impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN23LA341 for the full record.