19951121042269I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Big Bear, CA · November 21, 1995

Date: November 21, 1995 · 16:00 local
Place: Big Bear, CA
Airport: Big Bear City Airport
Phase of flight: Settle With Power (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N8312T
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,800 total4,000 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days

N8312TRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2452 · Built 1994 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: this was an experimental helicopter operated by the manufacturer. The pilot stated that he was conducting certification flight test for a new variation of the Robinson R-22 beta. He was attempting to establish the high altitude data for the height velocity diagram. He entered autorotation at 200 ft AGL & 60 kt with approx. 12-13KT headwind. During termination deceleration, the head winds decreased to less than 5 KTS. Pilot attempted to terminate the autorotation with power and when he realized it would not be successful power off. The maneuver resulted in a hard landing. This incident is closed.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: THIS WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER OPERATED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING CERTIFICATION FLIGHT TEST FOR A NEW VARIATION OF THE ROBINSON R-22 BETA. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH THE HIGH ALTITUDE DATA FOR THE HEIGHT VELOCITY DIAGRAM. HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AT 200 FT AGL & 60 KT WITH APPROX. 12-13KT HEADWIND. DURING TERMINATION DECELERATION, THE HEAD WINDS DECREASED TO LESS THAN 5 KTS. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TERMINATE THE AUTOROTATION WITH POWER AND WHEN HE REALIZED IT WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL POWER OFF. THE MANEUVER RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.