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20061015020809A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22BETA · Felixriverranch, NM · October 15, 2006

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 15, 2006 · 09:15 local
Place
Felixriverranch, NM
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N75262
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN07CA009
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,024 total1,500 in this make and model206 in the last 90 days

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 in command departed the felix river ranch at approximately 0800 am on a local flight to provide predator control services. One additional person was carried on board as a crew member to shoot predators. At the time of the accident, the pilot was flying at a slow speed and at a low altitude along an east-west ridge where the wind had been generally out of the west. The pilot stated that he felt/heard a reduction in rotor RPM, increased collective and turned the aircraft to fly down-slope (to the south) toward low ground. He also stated that the wind had apparently shifted, blowing out of the north across the ridge. The pilot stated that as he turned downwind, the aircraft began to settle with power, and the left front portion of the skid contacted the ground. The skid attach point failed on ground contact and the toe of the skid caught in a clump of bear grass causing the aircraft to turn and roll to the left. The rotor blades made contact with the ground and the aircraft sustained major damage. Neither the pilot nor the gunner were injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT IN COMMAND DEPARTED THE FELIX RIVER RANCH AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 AM ON A LOCAL FLIGHT TO PROVIDE PREDATOR CONTROL SERVICES. ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON WAS CARRIED ON BOARD AS A CREW MEMBER TO SHOOT PREDATORS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT WAS FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED AND AT A LOW ALTITUDE ALONG AN EAST-WEST RIDGE WHERE THE WIND HAD BEEN GENERALLY OUT OF THE WEST. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FELT/HEARD A REDUCTION IN ROTOR RPM, INCREASED COLLECTIVE AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLY DOWN-SLOPE (TO THE SOUTH) TOWARD LOW GROUND. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WIND HAD APPARENTLY SHIFTED, BLOWING OUT OF THE NORTH ACROSS THE RIDGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE TURNED DOWNWIND, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE WITH POWER, AND THE LEFT FRONT PORTION OF THE SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE SKID ATTACH POINT FAILED ON GROUND CONTACT AND THE TOE OF THE SKID CAUGHT IN A CLUMP OF BEAR GRASS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN AND ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE GUNNER WERE INJURED.

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 DEN07CA009Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHope, NMthe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors in this accident included the sudden wind shift and high density altitude, resulting in the helicopter settling with power, and the high vegetation.Oct 15, 2006 · Substantial damage