20040829026949A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Northport, NY · August 29, 2004

Date: August 29, 2004 · 18:00 local
Place: Northport, NY
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N871CL
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04FA197
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 325 total241 in this make and model117 in the last 90 days

N871CLRegistration cancelled Mar 10, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 617 · Built 1987 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine 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) At approximately 1800 local time, August 29, 2004, a Robinson R-22-beta, N871CL, crashed in approximately three feet of water near privacy data omitted, Northport, new york. There were two pilots on board. Both suffered fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. Witnesses reported that the helicopter was traveling along the shoreline. At which time they heard a loud "bang and observed the aircraft spinning and descending. Several witnesses stated that the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft before it impacted the water. Suffolk county harbor unit recovered helicopter, main rotor assembly was not attached to aircraft and unable to locate at this time.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 LOCAL TIME, AUGUST 29, 2004, A ROBINSON R-22-BETA, N871CL, CRASHED IN APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET OF WATER NEAR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, NORTHPORT, NEW YORK. THERE WERE TWO PILOTS ON BOARD. BOTH SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE SHORELINE. AT WHICH TIME THEY HEARD A LOUD "BANG AND OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT SPINNING AND DESCENDING. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE WATER. SUFFOLK COUNTY HARBOR UNIT RECOVERED HELICOPTER, MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS NOT ATTACHED TO AIRCRAFT AND UNABLE TO LOCATE AT THIS TIME.

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 NYC04FA197Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportNorthport, NYAn improper maneuver by the flightcrew while attempting to avoid a kite, which resulted in mast bumping, the separation of the main rotor system, and a subsequent uncontrolled descent into water.Aug 29, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N871CL · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880617037659IClimb · Kerrville, TXBird strike on the tail rotor on climbout and a damaged skid on a hard autorotation landing was the result.Jun 17, 1988 · Minor damage