N350DM is a 1997 Robinson Helicopter R44. It is a rotorcraft with 4 seats, powered by a Lycoming O-540-F1B5 rated at 260 horsepower. The registration is active, with the registrant based in Port Byron, IL. Its experimental airworthiness certificate was issued in Nov 2022. It has been registered to its current owner since Dec 2024. This page also carries 1 NTSB event.
- 29 years old
2024
2022
That's everything on file so far — TailWiki checks the FAA registry daily and adds new entries as N350DM's record changes.
The pilot of the aerial application helicopter had sprayed hundreds of acres earlier in the day and was positioning the helicopter at another farm site for spraying the following day. He said he selected a landing site next to a grain trailer to remain clear of on-going farm operations. The pilot stated he began his approach at the end of a 7-hour duty day, hovered adjacent to the trailer, and focused his attention on the position of the spray booms as he descended over the landing spot. As he lowered the collective control to complete the landing, the main rotor blades struck the top and side of the grain trailer which resulted in substantial damage to the helicopter’s main rotor blades and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report the pilot offered several safety recommendations to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future. Among them, he suggested a "higher level" of aeronautical decision making, improved fatigue awareness, better obstacle awareness, and maintenance of landing area scan and avoidance of "fixation" on any one item or obstacle.
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