19961019033059A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Halsey, OR · October 19, 1996

Date: October 19, 1996 · 09:26 local
Place: Halsey, OR
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N512HH
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97FA016
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 158 total49 in this make and model81 in the last 90 days

N512HHRegistration cancelled Feb 25, 1999 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 0548 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA

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.

The 21 year old brazilian pilot, a newly certificated private helicopter, was a student in a commerical helicopter pilot training program. According to individuals at the school who knew the pilot, he was distraught over a breakup with his girlfriend in brazil. These individuals stated that the pilots attitude and behavior had changed over the previous two weeks (the time frame of the breakup), and that the pilot behaved unusually on the morning of the accident. The accident flight had not been scheduled in advance, an d the pilot did not leave an itineary. The accident occurred 11 nautical miles southeast of the departure airport in an area normally used by the school on weekends. The crash site was in a level grass field, on an east to west path, parallel to an east west road. No witnesses were identified. Investigators found no evidence of preimpact mechanical problems in the helicopter wreckage, but instrument indications of low main rotor RPM existed.

As the FAA filed it

THE 21 YEAR OLD BRAZILIAN PILOT, A NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE HELICOPTER, WAS A STUDENT IN A COMMERICAL HELICOPTER PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM. ACCORDING TO INDIVIDUALS AT THE SCHOOL WHO KNEW THE PILOT, HE WAS DISTRAUGHT OVER A BREAKUP WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND IN BRAZIL. THESE INDIVIDUALS STATED THAT THE PILOTS ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR HAD CHANGED OVER THE PREVIOUS TWO WEEKS (THE TIME FRAME OF THE BREAKUP), AND THAT THE PILOT BEHAVED UNUSUALLY ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT HAD NOT BEEN SCHEDULED IN ADVANCE, AN D THE PILOT DID NOT LEAVE AN ITINEARY. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED 11 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT IN AN AREA NORMALLY USED BY THE SCHOOL ON WEEKENDS. THE CRASH SITE WAS IN A LEVEL GRASS FIELD, ON AN EAST TO WEST PATH, PARALLEL TO AN EAST WEST ROAD. NO WITNESSES WERE IDENTIFIED. INVESTIGATORS FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE HELICOPTER WRECKAGE, BUT INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS OF LOW MAIN ROTOR RPM EXISTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97FA016Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHalsey, ORThe pilot-in-command's failure to maintain main rotor RPM, resulting in loss of control of the helicopter and collision with terrain. Factors included the pilot's lack of experience in helicopters, and interpersonal relationship problems between the pilot and…Oct 19, 1996 · Destroyed