20020516009639A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Cantwell, AK · May 16, 2002

Date: May 16, 2002 · 13:00 local
Place: Cantwell, AK
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: QOFC
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N344AK
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC02TA035
Reported as: Robsin R44

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Airman was operating the aircraft in an out of ground effect hover at near maximum power when he inadvertently allowed the rotor RPM to bleed below the minimum required to maintain flight. Main rotor struck trees sustaining damage to the outboard ends of the rotor blades.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRMAN WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT IN AN OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HOVER AT NEAR MAXIMUM POWER WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO BLEED BELOW THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. MAIN ROTOR STRUCK TREES SUSTAINING DAMAGE TO THE OUTBOARD ENDS OF THE ROTOR BLADES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC02TA035Accident · No injuriesFinal reportCantwell, AKA failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain adequate main rotor rpm during an out-of-ground-effect hover.May 16, 2002 · Substantial damage