# Accident 20010316023319A: Robsin R22MARINER, Okeechobee, FL, March 16, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 16, 2001, 09:30 local time
- Place: Okeechobee, FL
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.2628° N, 80.8497° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2628&lon=-80.8497&mi=10
- Aircraft: N666BH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N666BH-2010-08-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER (registry code 7640115, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R22MARINER
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA101) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010316023319A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR-RATED PILOT IN COMMAND WAS DEMONSTRATING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AND AUTOROTATION INTO AN OPEN FIELD 1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE OKEECHOBEE AIRPORT. THE DEMONSTRATION WAS INITIATED AT AN ALTITUDE OF 250 FEET AND 60 KNOTS AIRSPEED. DURING DESCENT THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED TO A CRITICALLY LOW VALUE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED A POWER RECOVERY BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO PREVENT THE HELICOPTER FROM STRKING THE GROUND. AFTER GROUND CONTACT, ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD AND COMPLETELY SEVERED THE TAILBOOM LEAVING IT HANGING AND ONLY SUPPORTED BY THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL ROD WHICH WAS BENT BUT NOT SEVERED. ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE HAD LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND A GOUGE ALONG ITS UNDERSIDE WHERE IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BOOM MOUNTED BEACON. ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE FLAPPED AND SLICED THE L SIDE OF THE TAILBOOM.

## 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 MIA01LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA101), Mar 16, 2001: Robinson R22 (N666BH), Okeechobee, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: an in-flight collision with the ground during a simulated engine failure, and autorotation, which resulted in the tailboom separating. A contributing factor in this accident was the pilot allowed the…

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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