According to the report, the crash happened at 11:23 am on July 11, while the pilot, 58-year-old John R. “Randy” Love, of Maryville, TN, was attempting to land at the Tennessee Valley Authority Mayfield Customer Service Center in Hickory. According to TVA personnel, Love flew the helicopter to Clarksville, TN, earlier that morning, refueled, and then flew to the TVA Customer Service Center to pick up a maintenance lineman to inspect power lines and equipment.
A witness told
investigators the helicopter was making its final approach from the
north and was approximately 75 to 100 feet above the ground, when the
main rotor abruptly tilted to the right. The entire helicopter then
banked to its right and fell to the ground.
The helicopter
came to rest on its right side, about 220 feet west of the intended
landing zone. Love, a 17-year TVA employee, died in the crash.
According to the report, Love had 18,430 total hours of flying experience.