20040515009439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr ROTORWAY EXEC · Willis, TX · May 15, 2004

Date: May 15, 2004 · 16:22 local
Place: Willis, TX
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N319RC
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04LA131
Reported as: Amtr Rotorwayexec
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,200 total175 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N319RCRegistration cancelled Jun 11, 2013 · Cooke Ronald W ROTORWAY EXECS/N 3195 · Built 1985 Airframe modelCooke Ronald W ROTORWAY EXEC Engine modelRotorway RW152Reciprocating

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) Helicopter lifted off of wooden dock approximately 3 feet and started to depart when a ratcheting sound was heard by the pilot and the helicopter started to descend. Pilot stated the collective did not stop the descent in time to make it back to the dock. The right skid touched down on the dock and the helicopter descended into the boat slip beside the dock. Main rotor blades struck the opposite side of the boat slip and helicopter came to rest upright in approximately four feet of water. The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF OF WOODEN DOCK APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET AND STARTED TO DEPART WHEN A RATCHETING SOUND WAS HEARD BY THE PILOT AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO DESCEND. PILOT STATED THE COLLECTIVE DID NOT STOP THE DESCENT IN TIME TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE DOCK. THE RIGHT SKID TOUCHED DOWN ON THE DOCK AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO THE BOAT SLIP BESIDE THE DOCK. MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BOAT SLIP AND HELICOPTER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER.

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 FTW04LA131Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWillis, TXThe partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the #1 cylinder valve retainer clip. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.May 15, 2004 · Substantial damage