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20070831019039I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Robsin R44RAVENII · Las Vegas, NV · August 31, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 31, 2007 · 14:45 local
Place
Las Vegas, NV
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N194SH
Reported as
Robsin R44RAVENII
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,653 total545 in this make and model82 in the last 90 days
N194SHRegistration cancelled Jun 20, 2012 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11734 · Built 2007Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 IIEngine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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 received clearance for departure and started transitioning to lone mountain. As the pilot left the class d airspace, at approximately one mile to the northeast of lone mountain at approximately 3,600 MSL. Co-pilot announced a simulated engine failure (which they discussed on the ground). Pilot wouldn't describe it as a throttle choop, but more like a roll off. Nonetheless while pilot entered autorotation he recognized immediately that the engine had quit. Pilot then established his autorotative glide and confirmed with the oil pressure gauge, the engine tachometer and throttle manipulation that the engine was not operative. Pilot then began turning 180 degrees to the right to find an appropriate landing area. At the same time pilot attempted an air restart (which was unsuccessful), and switched to kvgt tower frequency and announced a may day call. Approximately 15-20 seconds later pilot did a full down autorotation to the shoulder of a residential street. The landing was successful, causing no harm to persons, property or the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR DEPARTURE AND STARTED TRANSITIONING TO LONE MOUNTAIN. AS THE PILOT LEFT THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TO THE NORTHEAST OF LONE MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 3,600 MSL. CO-PILOT ANNOUNCED A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE (WHICH THEY DISCUSSED ON THE GROUND). PILOT WOULDN'T DESCRIBE IT AS A THROTTLE CHOOP, BUT MORE LIKE A ROLL OFF. NONETHELESS WHILE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION HE RECOGNIZED IMMEDIATELY THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. PILOT THEN ESTABLISHED HIS AUTOROTATIVE GLIDE AND CONFIRMED WITH THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, THE ENGINE TACHOMETER AND THROTTLE MANIPULATION THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATIVE. PILOT THEN BEGAN TURNING 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE LANDING AREA. AT THE SAME TIME PILOT ATTEMPTED AN AIR RESTART (WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL), AND SWITCHED TO KVGT TOWER FREQUENCY AND ANNOUNCED A MAY DAY CALL. APPROXIMATELY 15-20 SECONDS LATER PILOT DID A FULL DOWN AUTOROTATION TO THE SHOULDER OF A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE LANDING WAS SUCCESSFUL, CAUSING NO HARM TO PERSONS, PROPERTY OR THE AIRCRAFT.