# Accident 19980826032079A: Robsin R22, Duncannon, PA, August 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 26, 1998, 18:05 local time
- Place: Duncannon, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4091° N, 77.0407° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4091&lon=-77.0407&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9067G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9067G-2013-05-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 (registry code 7640102, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 470 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA173) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980826032079A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 26, 1998, ABOUT 1805 EDT, A ROGINSON R-22 N9067G, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN DUNCANNON, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEORLOGICAL PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE HELIPORT IN DUNCANNON, ABOUT ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. AN INSPECTOR FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN IN OVER THREE AND A HALF YEARS. THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN IN THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CHECK THE HELICOPTER BEFORE SELLINT IT. THE INSPECTOR FURTHER ADDED THAT THE PILOT DEPARTED FROMA PRIVATE HELIPAD AT HIS RESIDENCE AND WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET AVOVE THE GROUND WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTORATATION TO AN OPEN AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE SKIDS BROKE OFF AND THE TAIL BOOM WAS BENT DOWN. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THE CARBURETOR WAS CRUSHED AND THE FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE CARBURETOR AND FUEL                                                                             STRAINER WAS EMPTY. THE FUEL STRAINER WAS DRAINED, AND ABOUT ONE QUART OF WATER WAS DRAINED BEFORE OBSERVING FUEL. WHEN THE FUEL FIRST APPEARED IT WAS MILKY AND THE FUEL STRAINER CONTAINED DEBRIS. THE FUEL TYPE USED WAS AUTOMOTIVE. THE STUDENT PILOT/MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED ON APRIL 4, 1997, AND WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS TOTAL TIME AS ABOUT 470 HOURS, ALL IN HELICOPTERS. (.4) THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED FROM A HELIPORT AT HIS RESIDENT IN A HELICOPTER. CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FOUND CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL TANK DURING HIS PREFLIGHT. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT NEITHER THE HELICOPTER NOR THE PILOT HAD FLOWN IN OVER 2 YEARS. THE FUEL IN THE TANK WAS FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND RUST, AND HAD BECOME AGED. THE PILOT WAS NOT SIGNED OFF FOR SOLO FLIGHT. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVER 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED A TOTAL TIME OF 470 HOURS WITH 358 HOURS IN ROTORCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC98LA173](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA173), Aug 26, 1998: Robinson R22 (N9067G), Duncannon, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's disregard of the fuel condition during the preflight which resulted in a takeoff with contaminated fuel and a loss of power. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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