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20040323004109I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Robsin R44 · Torrance, CA · March 23, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 23, 2004 · 07:10 local
Place
Torrance, CA
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N7166H
Reported as
Robsin R44
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0

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) On March 23, 2004 at 0710 PST, Robinson R-44 helicopter N7166H experienced an unexpected engine shutdown during production flight testing. The pilot performed an autorotation emergency landing in the Torrance beach parking lot. Pilot stated he was testing autorotation numbers at 2000 ft AGL over the ocean, and when he rolled the throttle off, the engine quit running. He attempted two restarts with no success, and autorotated into the beach parking lot. Aircraft was transported to the Robinson facility at toa. Aircraft inspection revealed no airframe damage. Ground testing of the helicopter did not reveal an obvious mechanical anomaly, and included testing of the mechanical fuel linkage, fuel contamination, fuel flow, air inlet contamination and valve operation, ground engine ran and hover testing with abrupt throttle movements. Robinson flight test engineers will prepare a flight test plan to simulate the flight conditions and throttle movements that led to the engine shutdown. FSDO transferred investigation to laaco and mido since aircraft was in production flight test operation. M or d report will be forwarded to the la mido per part 21 requirements upon completion of the additional tests.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 23, 2004 AT 0710 PST, ROBINSON R-44 HELICOPTER N7166H EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPECTED ENGINE SHUTDOWN DURING PRODUCTION FLIGHT TESTING. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE TORRANCE BEACH PARKING LOT. PILOT STATED HE WAS TESTING AUTOROTATION NUMBERS AT 2000 FT AGL OVER THE OCEAN, AND WHEN HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. HE ATTEMPTED TWO RESTARTS WITH NO SUCCESS, AND AUTOROTATED INTO THE BEACH PARKING LOT. AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ROBINSON FACILITY AT TOA. AIRCRAFT INSPECTION REVEALED NO AIRFRAME DAMAGE. GROUND TESTING OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT REVEAL AN OBVIOUS MECHANICAL ANOMALY, AND INCLUDED TESTING OF THE MECHANICAL FUEL LINKAGE, FUEL CONTAMINATION, FUEL FLOW, AIR INLET CONTAMINATION AND VALVE OPERATION, GROUND ENGINE RAN AND HOVER TESTING WITH ABRUPT THROTTLE MOVEMENTS. ROBINSON FLIGHT TEST ENGINEERS WILL PREPARE A FLIGHT TEST PLAN TO SIMULATE THE FLIGHT CONDITIONS AND THROTTLE MOVEMENTS THAT LED TO THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FSDO TRANSFERRED INVESTIGATION TO LAACO AND MIDO SINCE AIRCRAFT WAS IN PRODUCTION FLIGHT TEST OPERATION. M OR D REPORT WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE LA MIDO PER PART 21 REQUIREMENTS UPON COMPLETION OF THE ADDITIONAL TESTS.