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20050823018209A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Odessa, TX · August 23, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 23, 2005 · 14:40 local
Place
Odessa, TX
Airport
Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N160TX
NTSB investigation
NTSBDFW05CA220
Reported as
Robsin R44
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,200 total700 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days
N160TXRegistration cancelled Jan 30, 2008 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0997 · Built 2001Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44Engine 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) On August 23, 2005, at approximately 1440 CDT, the pilot of N160TX, a Robinson model R-44 helicopter, initiated a straight in practice autorotation to runway 29 at Odessa-Schlemeyer field, odo, in Odessa, Texas. The autorotation was initiated from approximately 200 feet above ground level. The pilot delayed in the application of power required to initiate a recovery. The helicopter main rotor RPM decayed, the helicopter descended to the ground and hit hard on the asphalt runway. The main rotor blades flexed down and severed the tail boom. The tail rotor blade/gearbox assembly severed from the tail boom. The tail rotor drive shaft sheared at both ends and separated from the helicopter. The right skid dug in and caused the helicopter to turn to the right on impact and then rolled over onto its right side. The landing gear skids were severed from the fuselage attach points and separated from the helicopter. There was substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tailboom, lower fuselage, right fuselage, tail rotor blades and tail rotor driveshaft. The occupants were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 23, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 1440 CDT, THE PILOT OF N160TX, A ROBINSON MODEL R-44 HELICOPTER, INITIATED A STRAIGHT IN PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TO RUNWAY 29 AT ODESSA-SCHLEMEYER FIELD, ODO, IN ODESSA, TEXAS. THE AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED FROM APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT DELAYED IN THE APPLICATION OF POWER REQUIRED TO INITIATE A RECOVERY. THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED TO THE GROUND AND HIT HARD ON THE ASPHALT RUNWAY. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE/GEARBOX ASSEMBLY SEVERED FROM THE TAIL BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT SHEARED AT BOTH ENDS AND SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE RIGHT SKID DUG IN AND CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO TURN TO THE RIGHT ON IMPACT AND THEN ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS WERE SEVERED FROM THE FUSELAGE ATTACH POINTS AND SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, TAILBOOM, LOWER FUSELAGE, RIGHT FUSELAGE, TAIL ROTOR BLADES AND TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT. THE OCCUPANTS WERE 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 DFW05CA220Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportOdessa, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM and the improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.Aug 23, 2005 · Substantial damage