# Accident 20050823018209A: Robsin R44, Odessa, TX, August 23, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 2005, 14:40 local time
- Place: Odessa, TX
- Airport: Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.9231° N, 102.3894° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9231&lon=-102.3894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N160TX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N160TX-2008-01-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 700 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DFW05CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05CA220) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050823018209A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 DFW05CA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05CA220), Aug 23, 2005: Robinson R-44 (N160TX), Odessa, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM and the improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.