# Incident 20060523008539I: Robsin R44, Fresno, CA, May 23, 2006

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2006, 09:40 local time
- Place: Fresno, CA
- Airport: Fresno-Chandler Downtown Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.7477° N, 119.7724° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fresno, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7477&lon=-119.7724&mi=10
- Aircraft: N667SA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N667SA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 150 total, 16 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060523008539I

## Narrative

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

(-23) N667SA WAS CONDUCTING HELICOPTER FLIGHT TRAINING AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CFI DEMONSTRATED THE PROPER RECOVERY PROCEDURES FOR LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE) TO THE COMMERCIALLY RATED STUDENT AND THEN ASKED HIM TO PERFORM THE MANEUVER. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIATION OF THE RECOVERY FROM LTE, THE STUDENT CHOPPED THE THROTTLE INSTEAD OF GRADUALLY DECREASING POWER TO CONTROL THE YAW. AN EYEWITNESS CONFIRMED THE INSTRUCTORS ACCOUNT OF THE THROTTLE BEING CHOPPED VERSUS BEING GRADUALLY REDUCED. THE HELICOPTER IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED NOSE LOW AND STRUCK THE FORWARD SKIDS ON THE RUNWAY, BREAKING THEM OFF. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED BACKWARDS ONTO THE REAR SKIDS AND CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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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