20050619015289A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Raville, LA · June 19, 2005

Date: June 19, 2005 · 19:30 local
Place: Raville, LA
Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N744MD
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW05CA169
Reported as: Robsin R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 403 total111 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

N744MDRegistration cancelled Jan 7, 2019 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0259 · Built 1996 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540F1 SERIEReciprocating

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) Pilot was conducting short (15 minutes) flights for friends and family from private property location (see lat. Long. Coordinates). This flight was the third in a series of flights and lifted off with the pilot and three passengers aboard. Immediately after takeoff was initiated, the aircraft began a spin to the right and the low RPM audio sounded momentarily. The pilot attempted to stop the rotation to the right with left rudder but it had no effect. At twenty feet above ground level and fearing an uncontrollable spin, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff, and in his language, "...entered autorotation." The pilot flared to help cushion the landing and the tail boom struck the ground as the aircraft completed its landing. The aircraft sustained substantial damage as confirmed by two mechanics from monroe air service who visited the accident site and inspected the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SHORT (15 MINUTES) FLIGHTS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY LOCATION (SEE LAT. LONG. COORDINATES). THIS FLIGHT WAS THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF FLIGHTS AND LIFTED OFF WITH THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ABOARD. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND THE LOW RPM AUDIO SOUNDED MOMENTARILY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ROTATION TO THE RIGHT WITH LEFT RUDDER BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT. AT TWENTY FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND FEARING AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN, THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, AND IN HIS LANGUAGE, "...ENTERED AUTOROTATION." THE PILOT FLARED TO HELP CUSHION THE LANDING AND THE TAIL BOOM STRUCK THE GROUND AS THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED ITS LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS CONFIRMED BY TWO MECHANICS FROM MONROE AIR SERVICE WHO VISITED THE ACCIDENT SITE AND INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT.

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 DFW05CA169Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRayville, LAThe pilot's loss of control following an encounter with loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.Jun 19, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N744MD · 1

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

Accident 20060204002559ATo Vertical (Helicopter Only) · Rayville, LA(-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted] is a pvt. Pilot with sel, MEL, instrument airplane, and rotorcraft ratings. The pilot [privacy data omitted] suffered an initial accident in his R44 helicopter on 25 July 2005 and was sent a 44709 letter regarding his…Feb 4, 2006 · Substantial damage