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20070327004599A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robsin R44RAVENII · Pontevedrabeach, FL · March 27, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 27, 2007 · 09:45 local
Place
Pontevedrabeach, FL
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N744SH
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN07FA079
Reported as
Robsin R44RAVENII
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
440 total276 in this make and model128 in the last 90 days
N744SHRegistration cancelled Jan 26, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10830 · Built 2005Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 IIEngine modelLycoming IO-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) Flight instructor and student pilot prepared for a flight from craig municipal airport, Florida, on an orientation flight for the student, bound for st. augustine, Florida then returning to craig municipal. Aircraft departed airport westbound and turned southeast towards ponte vedra beach, Florida. Aircraft was in cruise flight over homes in ponte vedra beach when witnesses reported hearing a loud "snap" then losing control before crashing into the beach. Aircraft initially impacted beach, becoming airborne again before coming to rest 100 feet southeast of the initial impact point. Aircraft burst into flames when impacting the ground the second time. Aircraft was destroyed. Both occupants received fatal injuries. Post accident investigation revealed that the right forward push-pull tube, connecting the swashplate to the right forward hydraulic servo, was not connected at the servo. The left forward push-pull tube, connecting the swashplate to the left forward hydraulic servo, was connected at the servo; however, the nut securing the bolt was not tight nor was the palnut installed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT PREPARED FOR A FLIGHT FROM CRAIG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FLORIDA, ON AN ORIENTATION FLIGHT FOR THE STUDENT, BOUND FOR ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA THEN RETURNING TO CRAIG MUNICIPAL. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AIRPORT WESTBOUND AND TURNED SOUTHEAST TOWARDS PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA. AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER HOMES IN PONTE VEDRA BEACH WHEN WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A LOUD "SNAP" THEN LOSING CONTROL BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE BEACH. AIRCRAFT INITIALLY IMPACTED BEACH, BECOMING AIRBORNE AGAIN BEFORE COMING TO REST 100 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES WHEN IMPACTING THE GROUND THE SECOND TIME. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT FORWARD PUSH-PULL TUBE, CONNECTING THE SWASHPLATE TO THE RIGHT FORWARD HYDRAULIC SERVO, WAS NOT CONNECTED AT THE SERVO. THE LEFT FORWARD PUSH-PULL TUBE, CONNECTING THE SWASHPLATE TO THE LEFT FORWARD HYDRAULIC SERVO, WAS CONNECTED AT THE SERVO; HOWEVER, THE NUT SECURING THE BOLT WAS NOT TIGHT NOR WAS THE PALNUT INSTALLED.

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 DEN07FA079Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPonte Vedra Bch, FLthe mechanic's improper installation of the attachment hardware for the servo to swashplate push-pull tube joint which resulted in a disconnection, subsequent loss of control, and impact with terrain. Contributing factors were the company management's…Mar 27, 2007 · Destroyed