OpenAirDocs.org

20030516020729A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Lake Ozark, MO · May 16, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 16, 2003 · 19:30 local
Place
Lake Ozark, MO
Phase of flight
Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N227G
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03LA128
Reported as
Robsin R44
Reported engine
Lycoming O540F1B5
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,455 total27 in this make and model47 in the last 90 days

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) Pilot states that after landing and placing the collective in the full down position, he heard a noise from the rear of the aircraft resembling that of the tail rotor contacting the gravel surface. Pilot stated that as the noise increased the aircraft started to shake, immediately followed by the aircraft rotating to the right approximately thirty degrees (while still on the skids) then violently to the left, "and proceeded to thrash around in all directions." Pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Local post-accident investigation revealed no flight control, engine control or drive system abnormalities. Oem preliminary investigation at the factory facility in torrance, California, also revealed no mechanical discrepancies. Witnesses reported a gusting wind and the raising of the helicopter's tail, with the subsequent impact of the main rotor blades into the parking lot pavement, followed by additional damage to the airframe structure as it impacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATES THAT AFTER LANDING AND PLACING THE COLLECTIVE IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION, HE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT RESEMBLING THAT OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTING THE GRAVEL SURFACE. PILOT STATED THAT AS THE NOISE INCREASED THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SHAKE, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE AIRCRAFT ROTATING TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY THIRTY DEGREES (WHILE STILL ON THE SKIDS) THEN VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT, "AND PROCEEDED TO THRASH AROUND IN ALL DIRECTIONS." PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. LOCAL POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FLIGHT CONTROL, ENGINE CONTROL OR DRIVE SYSTEM ABNORMALITIES. OEM PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AT THE FACTORY FACILITY IN TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, ALSO REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES. WITNESSES REPORTED A GUSTING WIND AND THE RAISING OF THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL, WITH THE SUBSEQUENT IMPACT OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES INTO THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT, FOLLOWED BY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME STRUCTURE AS IT IMPACTED THE GROUND.

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 CHI03LA128Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLake Ozark, MOAn inability to maintain control of the helicopter during the wind gust and brief tail wind. The ravine, wind gust and tailwind were contributing factors to the accident.May 17, 2003 · Substantial damage