20060529012089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44RAVENII · Skwentna, AK · May 29, 2006

Date: May 29, 2006 · 19:45 local
Place: Skwentna, AK
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: JKWC
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N688JK
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC06LA064
Reported as: Robsin R44RAVENII
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,000 total50 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N688JKRegistration cancelled Jul 6, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10106 · Built 2003 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II 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) Pilot departed with sling and empty steel cage on hook. While in transition one and a half minutes into the flight he felt a shudder in the tail rotor section. Pilot jettisoned the load and made an emergency approach to a small opening. As they came to a two or three foot hover he had no tail rotor authority and the aircraft touched down with rotation to the right (clockwise), contacted ground and rolled over onto the left side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED WITH SLING AND EMPTY STEEL CAGE ON HOOK. WHILE IN TRANSITION ONE AND A HALF MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT HE FELT A SHUDDER IN THE TAIL ROTOR SECTION. PILOT JETTISONED THE LOAD AND MADE AN EMERGENCY APPROACH TO A SMALL OPENING. AS THEY CAME TO A TWO OR THREE FOOT HOVER HE HAD NO TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH ROTATION TO THE RIGHT (CLOCKWISE), CONTACTED GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ONTO THE LEFT SIDE.

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 ANC06LA064Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkwentna, AKThe pilot's improper rigging of the external sling load, which allowed the suspended load/cargo cable to entangle and disable the tail rotor control, resulting in a loss of control during cruise and an in-flight collision with terrain.May 30, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N688JK · 1

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

Accident 20050725018309ALevel Off Touchdown · Salcha, AK(-23) Airman selected an unsuitable landing site which contained an obstruction (a dead tree). When he detected the tree he altered his approach path slightly and continued the approach until the main rotor blades contacted the tree causing damage to both…Jul 25, 2005 · Reported as Robsin R44RAVENII · Minor damage