# Accident 20050706017549A: Robsin R44, St. Cloud, FL, July 6, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 6, 2005, 20:30 local time
- Place: St. Cloud, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7671° N, 81.6862° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7671&lon=-81.6862&mi=10
- Aircraft: N90SG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90SG-2017-07-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE (registry code 41531, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540f1-serie) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 102 total, 32 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA05CA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050706017549A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA05CA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05CA133), Jul 7, 2005: Robinson R44 (N90SG), St. Cloud, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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