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20040824032109A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · West Palm Beach, FL · August 24, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 24, 2004 · 15:00 local
Place
West Palm Beach, FL
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
IGIS
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4062X
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA04LA122
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O320B2C
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,278 total1,140 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days
N4062XRegistration cancelled May 5, 2007 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2264 · Built 1992Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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 August 24, 2004, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22, N4062X, registered to airman testing and training inc., and operated by Palm Beach helicopter, crashed during an autorotation in West Palm Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 instructional flight. The helicopter incurred substantial damage. The certified flight instructor and student pilot reported minor injuries. The flight had originated from the Palm Beach county park, Florida, earlier that day. The instructor stated to the fire rescue crew that he and the student pilot were practicing autorotations from an altitude of about 500 feet AGL. On the last autorotation the engine sputtered and did not respond to the power settings. The instructor maneuvered the helicopter to an open field under construction before landing hard. The helicopter came to rest on its side. Following recovery of the helicopter, the engine was started and operated at idle RPM while still installed on the accident helicopter, under FAA supervision, and no discrepancies were noted.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 24, 2004, ABOUT 1500 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R-22, N4062X, REGISTERED TO AIRMAN TESTING AND TRAINING INC., AND OPERATED BY PALM BEACH HELICOPTER, CRASHED DURING AN AUTOROTATION IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM THE PALM BEACH COUNTY PARK, FLORIDA, EARLIER THAT DAY. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED TO THE FIRE RESCUE CREW THAT HE AND THE STUDENT PILOT WERE PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS FROM AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. ON THE LAST AUTOROTATION THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE POWER SETTINGS. THE INSTRUCTOR MANEUVERED THE HELICOPTER TO AN OPEN FIELD UNDER CONSTRUCTION BEFORE LANDING HARD. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. FOLLOWING RECOVERY OF THE HELICOPTER, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED AT IDLE RPM WHILE STILL INSTALLED ON THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER, UNDER FAA SUPERVISION, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.

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 MIA04LA122Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWest Palm Beach, FLThe partial loss of engine power due to low cylinder compression during recovery from a practice autorotation resulting in a hard landing and damage to the helicopter.Aug 24, 2004 · Substantial damage