20050214005599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Arrowhead, CA · February 14, 2005

Date: February 14, 2005 · 15:20 local
Place: Arrowhead, CA
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N44NG
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05CA095
Reported as: Robsin R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,452 total2,866 in this make and model217 in the last 90 days

N44NGRegistration cancelled Mar 21, 2023 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1078 · Built 2001 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) Instructor pilot was demonstrating an approach to a confined area to a student in a remote area near lake Arrowhead without intention to land. Helicopter sank from 150' and did not initially respond to collective inputs, helicopter was still at 50'-100' pilot elected to land rather than go around due to rougher surrounding area. Pilot attempted to pull up collective to cushion landing but helicopter did not respond to the collective input due to wind causing a vortex ring state. Helicopter bounced two to three times. The right skid was resting on a large rock so pilot wanted to move to a flatter area. Pilot took helicopter to a hover with left skid in the air. Helicopter stayed in a hover for a fraction of a second then rolled left and yawed slightly right and came to rest on its side. Student, two passengers, then the pilot exited the helicopter. Pilot noticed the wind switching from east to west with 15+ knot gusts.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING AN APPROACH TO A CONFINED AREA TO A STUDENT IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR LAKE ARROWHEAD WITHOUT INTENTION TO LAND. HELICOPTER SANK FROM 150' AND DID NOT INITIALLY RESPOND TO COLLECTIVE INPUTS, HELICOPTER WAS STILL AT 50'-100' PILOT ELECTED TO LAND RATHER THAN GO AROUND DUE TO ROUGHER SURROUNDING AREA. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL UP COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION LANDING BUT HELICOPTER DID NOT RESPOND TO THE COLLECTIVE INPUT DUE TO WIND CAUSING A VORTEX RING STATE. HELICOPTER BOUNCED TWO TO THREE TIMES. THE RIGHT SKID WAS RESTING ON A LARGE ROCK SO PILOT WANTED TO MOVE TO A FLATTER AREA. PILOT TOOK HELICOPTER TO A HOVER WITH LEFT SKID IN THE AIR. HELICOPTER STAYED IN A HOVER FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND THEN ROLLED LEFT AND YAWED SLIGHTLY RIGHT AND CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. STUDENT, TWO PASSENGERS, THEN THE PILOT EXITED THE HELICOPTER. PILOT NOTICED THE WIND SWITCHING FROM EAST TO WEST WITH 15+ KNOT GUSTS.

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 LAX05CA095Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportLake Arrowhead, CAthe certified flight instructor's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions and his selection of terrain unsuitable for a safe takeoff which resulted in a dynamic rollover.Feb 14, 2005 · Substantial damage