20040123011189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Vero Beach, FL · January 23, 2004

Date: January 23, 2004 · 05:00 local
Place: Vero Beach, FL
Airport: Vero Beach Municipal
Phase of flight: Aerial Taxi To Tkof/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N77KK
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA04CA048
Reported as: Robsin R44
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,800 total341 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N77KKRegistration cancelled Oct 5, 2005 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1052 · Built 2001 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540F1 SERIEReciprocating

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) The pilot of N77KK was repositioning the helicopter for departure, during hover taxi the left skid hit a 2-foot high hedgerow. This impact causes the helicopter nose to pitch up and the tail rotor to pitch down. The tail rotor impacted the ground and started a clockwise rotation; at that point the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT OF N77KK WAS REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER FOR DEPARTURE, DURING HOVER TAXI THE LEFT SKID HIT A 2-FOOT HIGH HEDGEROW. THIS IMPACT CAUSES THE HELICOPTER NOSE TO PITCH UP AND THE TAIL ROTOR TO PITCH DOWN. THE TAIL ROTOR IMPACTED THE GROUND AND STARTED A CLOCKWISE ROTATION; AT THAT POINT THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER.

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 MIA04CA048Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportVero Beach, FLThe failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with bushed resulting in in-flight contact and susequent dynamic roll-over.Jan 23, 2004 · Substantial damage