20051218033589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Linden, NJ · December 18, 2005

Date: December 18, 2005 · 12:00 local
Place: Linden, NJ
Airport: Linden Airport
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N44EK
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC06LA035
Reported as: Robsin R44
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,918 total300 in this make and model90 in the last 90 days

N44EKRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0690 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine 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) Instructor and student were climbing out in an R-44 helicopter to practice right traffic maneuvers at Linden Airport. Passing 200' the student said he felt a vibration, then the "low rotor/rpm horn and light" came on. The instructor took control, sensed the loss of power, and auto rotated into a vacant construction site. The site was muddy and the leading edges of the skids dug into the turf, rocking the craft fwd and back. The turning/trailing rotor blades contacted the rear boom and virtually severed it (mast dampening). No damage to persons or other property. It is viewed the instructor acted prudently. No enforcement action planned.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE CLIMBING OUT IN AN R-44 HELICOPTER TO PRACTICE RIGHT TRAFFIC MANEUVERS AT LINDEN AIRPORT. PASSING 200' THE STUDENT SAID HE FELT A VIBRATION, THEN THE "LOW ROTOR/RPM HORN AND LIGHT" CAME ON. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL, SENSED THE LOSS OF POWER, AND AUTO ROTATED INTO A VACANT CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE SITE WAS MUDDY AND THE LEADING EDGES OF THE SKIDS DUG INTO THE TURF, ROCKING THE CRAFT FWD AND BACK. THE TURNING/TRAILING ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE REAR BOOM AND VIRTUALLY SEVERED IT (MAST DAMPENING). NO DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR OTHER PROPERTY. IT IS VIEWED THE INSTRUCTOR ACTED PRUDENTLY. NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION PLANNED.

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 NYC06LA035Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLinden, NJA loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Dec 18, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N44EK · 2

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

Accident 20170224018929ACruise/Level Flight · Chatham, NJAircraft was picked up in richmond, VA (kfci) after completion of major maintenance and engine overhaul. Aircraft stopped in millville, NJ (kmiv) to top off with 100LL fuel and departed kmiv enroute to lincoln park, NJ (N07). Approximately 3 miles south of…Feb 24, 2017 · Substantial damage Accident 20020803037699APwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft · Atlantic City, NJ(-23) During an approach to landing at hte Atlantic City Steel Pier Heliport, a Robinson R-44, N44EK, tail rotor struck the helipad perimeter safety net, causing the tail rotor gearbox to separate from the aircraft. Part of the rotor sheared off and was found…Aug 3, 2002 · Substantial damage