| Crash location | 30.520834°N, 104.134166°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Fort Davis, TX
30.588211°N, 103.894625°W 15.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N8363D |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 03 Apr 2015 |
| Aircraft type | Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot stated he was positioning the helicopter to have the sole passenger take a photograph of an animal and a settling with power condition occurred. The pilot stated that a gust of wind came from a nearby hill and began to push the helicopter toward the ground so the pilot conducted a running landing to an open field. During the landing, the pilot reported that the helicopter struck an anthill and rolled sideways. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. After multiple requests, the pilot did not turn in the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested.
The pilot verified that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during flight, which resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain.