# Accident 20010511008959A: Robsin R44, Gorst, WA, May 11, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2001, 09:10 local time
- Place: Gorst, WA
- Damage: No damage
- Location: 47.4667° N, 122.7022° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4667&lon=-122.7022&mi=10
- Aircraft: N111PH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N111PH-2002-04-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE (registry code 41531, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540f1-serie) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA01FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01FA089) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010511008959A

## Narrative

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

(-23)INVESTIGATION FOUND THE HELICOPTER HIT A TREE AT A HIGH ANGLE OF DECENT IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST-CRASH FIRE.  WITNESSES FROM A HEARBY GOLF COURSE STATED THEY LOOKED AT THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THEY HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE.  THEY FURTHER STATED THAT SOMETHING WAS NOTED FALLING OFF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT STARTED TO SPIN, AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND A WOODED AREA.  INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SITE FOUND THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, WITH EVIDENCE OF MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM. THE INPUT QUILL SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE TAILBOOM.  THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY, AND AFT SECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WERE NOT CONNECTED TO THE TAIL BOOM (SEE ATTACHED SHEET).

## 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 SEA01FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01FA089), May 11, 2001: Robinson R44 (N111PH), Gorst, WA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An abrupt application of the tail rotor/anti-torque pedal by an unknown pilot resulting in tail rotor contact with the tail boom. Tail rotor blades and empennage assembly separation, and trees were…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.