20050706017549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · St. Cloud, FL · July 6, 2005

Date: July 6, 2005 · 20:30 local
Place: St. Cloud, FL
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N90SG
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA05CA133
Reported as: Robsin R44
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 102 total32 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N90SGRegistration cancelled Jul 5, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1265 · Built 2002 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) The pilot of N90SG was making an approach to landing at his private heliport in St. Cloud, FL when he noticed that a vehicle had been parked in close proximity to his concrete helipad. The pilot elected to land in the grass adjacent to the helipad to avoid the parked vehicle. It was almost dark, and while maneuvering to land at the alternate landing site, the pilot of N90SG did not notice that he was too close to a palm tree located near the helipad. The tail boom of N90SG struck the palm tree, causing the helicopter to depart controlled flight. The helicopter subsequently struck the ground, causing substantial damage to the airframe and rotor system. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT OF N90SG WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING AT HIS PRIVATE HELIPORT IN ST. CLOUD, FL WHEN HE NOTICED THAT A VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HIS CONCRETE HELIPAD. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE HELIPAD TO AVOID THE PARKED VEHICLE. IT WAS ALMOST DARK, AND WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND AT THE ALTERNATE LANDING SITE, THE PILOT OF N90SG DID NOT NOTICE THAT HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO A PALM TREE LOCATED NEAR THE HELIPAD. THE TAIL BOOM OF N90SG STRUCK THE PALM TREE, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO DEPART CONTROLLED FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE GROUND, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME AND ROTOR SYSTEM. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED.

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 MIA05CA133Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSt. Cloud, FLThe failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with a palm tree resulting in the in-flight collision with it, and subsequent uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with the ground.Jul 7, 2005 · Substantial damage