# Incident 20070316005649I: Robsin R44RAVENII, Dorado, Puerto Rico, March 16, 2007

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 16, 2007, 17:10 local time
- Place: Dorado, Puerto Rico
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.4369° N, 66.0019° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4369&lon=-66.0019&mi=10
- Aircraft: N72PK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N72PK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44RAVENII
- Reported engine: LYC IO540AE1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 310 total, 100 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA07CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07CA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070316005649I

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT WAS ON TRAINING FLIGHT CIRCLING CLOCKWISE AROUND ONE SPOT (APPROX. 300 FT TO CENTER, IAS 35 KTS, 40 FT AGL). THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO INCREASE YAW RATE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO STABILIZE/STOP THE YAW RATE WITH CONTINUED INCREASE. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE HIGH YAW RATE WITH APPROPRIATE PEDAL INPUTS, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED YAWING AND COMPLETED TWO RAPID 360 DEGREE TURNS AROUND ITS AXIS. AFTER THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE HIGH YAW RATE WITH PEDAL INPUTS HE ENTERED INTO HOVER-AUTOROTATION WHICH STOPPED THE YAW RATE. HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, PERSONS OR PASSENGERS, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR DUE TO A HARD LANDING. EXTENT OF DAMAGE ARE PENDING TO FACTORY DETERMINATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA07CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07CA107), Mar 16, 2007: Robinson R-44-II (N72PK), Isla Grande, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness which resulted in damage to the helicopter during the subsequent hard landing.

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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