20070422006909A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R44RAVENII · Knox, IN · April 22, 2007

Date: April 22, 2007 · 20:32 local
Place: Knox, IN
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N382BT
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI07FA114
Reported as: Robsin R44RAVENII
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 513 total

N382BTRegistration cancelled Dec 10, 2009 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10107 · 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) Helicopter was observed by a witness making an approach over bass lake to apparently land at the owner's residence on the lake. The helicopter appeared to hover for a couple seconds at about 50 ft over the lake, then crashed into the lake. A witness near the lake heard screams for help in the lake. They dispatched a boat to the area and found a woman in the water. She was recovered and died on the way to the hospital. The pilot's body was recovered on 5/2/07. The helicopter remains were recovered and inspected by the NTSB, FAA, Robinson helicopter representative, and Lycoming engine accident investigator. No problems were found with the engine or airframe of the helicopter during the inspection.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS MAKING AN APPROACH OVER BASS LAKE TO APPARENTLY LAND AT THE OWNER'S RESIDENCE ON THE LAKE. THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO HOVER FOR A COUPLE SECONDS AT ABOUT 50 FT OVER THE LAKE, THEN CRASHED INTO THE LAKE. A WITNESS NEAR THE LAKE HEARD SCREAMS FOR HELP IN THE LAKE. THEY DISPATCHED A BOAT TO THE AREA AND FOUND A WOMAN IN THE WATER. SHE WAS RECOVERED AND DIED ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. THE PILOT'S BODY WAS RECOVERED ON 5/2/07. THE HELICOPTER REMAINS WERE RECOVERED AND INSPECTED BY THE NTSB, FAA, ROBINSON HELICOPTER REPRESENTATIVE, AND LYCOMING ENGINE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME OF THE HELICOPTER DURING THE INSPECTION.

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 CHI07FA114Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBass Lake, INThe pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach glidepath, which resulted in a settling-with-power flight condition. Contributing to the accident was the dark night light condition.Apr 23, 2007 · Substantial damage