What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Robinson R-22 heli was positioning for aerial photography when the tail rotor appeared to be lost. Belle verno,PA. (.4)the pilot was performing an out-of-ground-effect hover with a 10 knot tailwind in a Robinson R-22. When the pilot raised the collective to maneuver, and the helicopter began to spin to the right. The helicopter spun four times, descended, and impacted the ground. The pilot had about 100 hours of helicopter experience, and about 10 hours of out-of-ground-effect hover experience. After the accident, the pilot told a police officer that he exceeded the limitations of the tail rotor. FAA advisory circular (ac) 90-95 stated all single main rotor helicopters were susceptible to loss of tail rotor effectiveness (lte). The ac advised pilots that when maneuvering between hover and 30 knots to avoid; tailwinds, out of ground effect hover and high power demand such as lowspeed downwind turns. It also advised the pilots to be aware of wind direction and velocity. In 1995, the FAA sent a letter to all u.s helicopter manufactures recommending they include a discussion on lte in the operator's handbooks and flight manuals. The Robinson helicopter company has not complied with that request.
As the FAA filed it
ROBINSON R-22 HELI WAS POSITIONING FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR APPEARED TO BE LOST. BELLE VERNO,PA. (.4)THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AN OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER WITH A 10 KNOT TAILWIND IN A ROBINSON R-22. WHEN THE PILOT RAISED THE COLLECTIVE TO MANEUVER, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER SPUN FOUR TIMES, DESCENDED, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 100 HOURS OF HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE, AND ABOUT 10 HOURS OF OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER EXPERIENCE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT TOLD A POLICE OFFICER THAT HE EXCEEDED THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TAIL ROTOR. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC) 90-95 STATED ALL SINGLE MAIN ROTOR HELICOPTERS WERE SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE). THE AC ADVISED PILOTS THAT WHEN MANEUVERING BETWEEN HOVER AND 30 KNOTS TO AVOID; TAILWINDS, OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER AND HIGH POWER DEMAND SUCH AS LOWSPEED DOWNWIND TURNS. IT ALSO ADVISED THE PILOTS TO BE AWARE OF WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY. IN 1995, THE FAA SENT A LETTER TO ALL U.S HELICOPTER MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDING THEY INCLUDE A DISCUSSION ON LTE IN THE OPERATOR'S HANDBOOKS AND FLIGHT MANUALS. THE ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH THAT REQUEST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.