20060723022219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R44 · Wadsworth, IL · July 23, 2006

Date: July 23, 2006 · 14:00 local
Place: Wadsworth, IL
Phase of flight: Prw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N454WT
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI06CA214
Reported as: Robsin R44
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 109 total109 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N454WTRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1042 · Built 2001 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) During landing in a confined area, pilot overflew a small pond. Waterfoul took off from the waters edge directly in front of the aircraft during landing. Pilot attempted to miss the waterfoul by applying aft cyclic causing the tail rotor to contact the water. Tailrotor blades separated from the gearbox and the pilot landed the helicopter on the waters edge.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING LANDING IN A CONFINED AREA, PILOT OVERFLEW A SMALL POND. WATERFOUL TOOK OFF FROM THE WATERS EDGE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MISS THE WATERFOUL BY APPLYING AFT CYCLIC CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR TO CONTACT THE WATER. TAILROTOR BLADES SEPARATED FROM THE GEARBOX AND THE PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON THE WATERS EDGE.

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 CHI06CA214Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWadsworth, ILThe pilot inadvertently pulled back on the cyclic when birds flew into the windscreen. A factor associated with the accident were the birds.Jul 23, 2006 · Substantial damage