# Accident 20000711040799A: Robsin R22BETA, Harpswell, ME, July 11, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2000, 10:05 local time
- Place: Harpswell, ME
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.7375° N, 69.9645° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Town of Harpswell, ME, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7375&lon=-69.9645&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2365S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2365S-2006-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22BETA
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA191) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000711040799A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE PILOT WAS TRAVELING FORWARD IN A ROBINSON R22B AT AN AIRSPEED OF 10 TO 20 KNOTS, AND AN ALTITUDE OF 230 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WITH A 15 TO 21 KNOT LEFT-QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT. AFTER THREE ROTATIONS THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC) 90-95 STATED THAT LOSS OF TAILROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE) WAS A CRITICAL, LOW-SPEED AERODYNAMIC FLIGHT CHARACTERISTIC WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN UNCOMMANDED RAPID YAW RATE, AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. IT ALSO STATED THAT 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: LEFT CROSSWINDS, TAILWINDS, AND HIGH POWER SETTINGS AT LOW AIRSPEEDS. (-23) OWNER/PILOT AND PASSENGER (A LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT) DEPARTED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN HARPSWELL, MAINE AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30 AM FOR LOCAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH/FLIGHT. BASED UPON INTERVIEW WITH PASSENGER SHORTLY AFTER ACCIDENT THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WAS AS FOLLOWS: PASSENGER WAS IN LEFT SEAT PREPARING TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE SITE TO BE PHOTOGRA              PHED THE PILOT SLOWED IN PREPARATION TO HOVER TO SLOW FLY THE AREA. THEY WERE MOVING FORWARD RATHER SLOWLY WHEN THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY BEGAN TO TURN. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS SIMPLY A GUST OF WIND THAT HAD CAUSED THE UNCOMMANDED TURN. HE STATED THAT HE THEN HEARD AN AUDIO ALARM (SIMILAR TO THE ALARM HE HEARD DURING THE PRETAKEOFF CHECKS) AND HE THOUGHT THAT HE ALSO SAW A WARNING LIGHT FLASHING. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO PITCH AND ROLL FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND BEGAN A CLOCKWISE ROTATION. PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS "FIGHTING IT WITH EVERYTHING HE HAD TO SLOW THE ROTATION AND DESCENT" BUT UNABLE TO CORRECT. HELICOPTER IMPACTED SWAMP AREA IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. NO MAIN.

## 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 NYC00LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA191), Jul 11, 2000: Robinson R-22B (N2365S), Harpswell, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's improper in-flight decision to maneuver at a low airspeed with a left-quartering tailwind which resulted in a loss of tailrotor effectiveness.

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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