# Accident 19990415003569A: Robsin R22, Port Jefferson, NY, April 15, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 15, 1999, 14:45 local time
- Place: Port Jefferson, NY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.9401° N, 73.0507° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9401&lon=-73.0507&mi=10
- Aircraft: N151RM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N151RM-2013-06-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 (registry code 7640102, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE (registry code 41531, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540f1-serie) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 750 total, 550 in this make and model, 176 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990415003569A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDING THE ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER ON THE BEACH WHEN THE ACFT LOST ENGINE POWER AT 10 FEET AGL, LANDED HARD ON THE SAND, AND ROLLED OVER, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT WERE PRACTICING NORMAL APPROACHES TO A HOVER AT A BEACH IN PORT JEFFERSON, NU. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INDICATES THAT AS HE PULLED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO BRING HELICOPTER INTO A HOVER, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER TO ALLOW AIRCRAFT TO HOVER. HELICOPTER HIT THE SAND LEFT SKID FIRST AND ROLLED OVER. FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FURTHER STATES THAT HE DID HEAR LOW ROTOR HORN SOUND PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN. (.4) THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS RECEIVING ROTORCRAFT INSTRUCTION AND WAS ON APPROACH TO LAND. AS THE HELICOPTER PASSED THROUGH ABOUT 15 FEET, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS ALSO ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 20 MPH, WITH A DESCENT OF 200-300 FPM. WHEN THE COLLECTIVE WAS RAISED THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO DESCEND, LANDED HARD, AND ROLLED OVER. WHEN INTERVIEWED THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REMEMBERED THE LOW ROTOR WARNING HORN HAD SOUNDED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND MECHANICAL THROTTLE COMPENSATOR FOUND N                                   O EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE HELICOPTER MANUFACTURER HAD PUBLISHED A SAFETY NOTICE WHICH CAUTIONED AGAINST AIRSPEED OF LESS THAN 30 KNOTS UNTIL THE DESCENT RATES WERE LESS THAN 300 FPM.

## 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 NYC99LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA090), Apr 15, 1999: Robinson R-22 (N151RM), Port Jefferson, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: the lack of supervision by the flight instructor which resulted in a low rotor condition and subsequent hard landing.

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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