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19960918033579I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Belle Glade, FL · September 18, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 18, 1996 · 07:28 local
Place
Belle Glade, FL
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N2579W
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
7,000 total400 in this make and model85 in the last 90 days
N2579WRegistration cancelled Nov 9, 2006 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 0630Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine 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: pilot michael huizinga and passengerprivacy data omittedleft their campsite at Belle Glade rv park in a Robinson R-22 (N2579W) at approximately 0700 on September 18, 1996. The pilot reports the weather was clear, visibility better than 5 sm, winds calm and the temperature in the low 70'S. The purpose of the flight was to spot alligators. The flight was routine for the first 30 minutes. While hovering over the water at approximately 4-5 feet, the pilot and passenger heard a pop. The pilot reports that the aircraft started to roll left and he counteracted with right lateral cyclic inputs. The aircraft settled and struck the water in a very slight right nosedown attitude. The main rotor blades struck the water and the aircraft rolled on its right side in approximately 8 feet of water. The pilot and passenger exited without difficulty and sat on the side of the helicopter until rescued by the palm beach sheriff department. Post crash examination of the aircraft did not reveal any obvious mechanical failure that could account for this incident. A black mark on the main rotor blade indicated the possibility that a bird strike may have caused this incident. privacy data omitted privacy data omitted

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: PILOT MICHAEL HUIZINGA AND PASSENGER^PRIVACY DATA^LEFT THEIR CAMPSITE AT BELLE GLADE RV PARK IN A ROBINSON R-22 (N2579W) AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1996. THE PILOT REPORTS THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, VISIBILITY BETTER THAN 5 SM, WINDS CALM AND THE TEMPERATURE IN THE LOW 70'S. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO SPOT ALLIGATORS. THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE FOR THE FIRST 30 MINUTES. WHILE HOVERING OVER THE WATER AT APPROXIMATELY 4-5 FEET, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HEARD A POP. THE PILOT REPORTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO ROLL LEFT AND HE COUNTERACTED WITH RIGHT LATERAL CYCLIC INPUTS. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND STRUCK THE WATER IN A VERY SLIGHT RIGHT NOSEDOWN ATTITUDE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE WATER AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE IN APPROXIMATELY 8 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AND SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER UNTIL RESCUED BY THE PALM BEACH SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THIS INCIDENT. A BLACK MARK ON THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE INDICATED THE POSSIBILITY THAT A BIRD STRIKE MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS INCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

Other reports on N2579W · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19900511016499ASfl Autorotation · Atlanta, GAStudent failed to use proper control for practice hover autorotation. Skid touched in a turn. Helicopter rolled overMay 11, 1990 · Substantial damage