20071124831909A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Suffolk, VA · November 24, 2007

Date: November 24, 2007 · 13:00 local
Place: Suffolk, VA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N442FA
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC08LA043
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 800 total300 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N442FARegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 0708 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) On November 24, 2007, at 1300 local time, N442FA, a Robinson R22 beta helicopter was on a routine pleasure flight performing circling maneuvers at about 600 ft. after a few turns the pilot noticed the clutch light on. The pilot reported that after approximately 5 seconds of the light being illuminated, he reached down and pulled the clutch circuit breaker. At that same instant, the engine's RPM sharply increased and the main rotor RPM alarm sounded. He immediately lowered the collective and rolled on the throttle in an attempt to increase the rotor RPM. When that attempt failed, he executed an autorotation and flew the aircraft to the ground. The hard landing in a field caused substantial damage to the aircraft. On inspection the rotor drive belts were found off of the engine and rotor drive sheaves. There were no injuries to the pilot, the sole occupant.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 24, 2007, AT 1300 LOCAL TIME, N442FA, A ROBINSON R22 BETA HELICOPTER WAS ON A ROUTINE PLEASURE FLIGHT PERFORMING CIRCLING MANEUVERS AT ABOUT 600 FT. AFTER A FEW TURNS THE PILOT NOTICED THE CLUTCH LIGHT ON. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS OF THE LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED, HE REACHED DOWN AND PULLED THE CLUTCH CIRCUIT BREAKER. AT THAT SAME INSTANT, THE ENGINE'S RPM SHARPLY INCREASED AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM ALARM SOUNDED. HE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE THE ROTOR RPM. WHEN THAT ATTEMPT FAILED, HE EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE GROUND. THE HARD LANDING IN A FIELD CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. ON INSPECTION THE ROTOR DRIVE BELTS WERE FOUND OFF OF THE ENGINE AND ROTOR DRIVE SHEAVES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT.

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 NYC08LA043Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSuffolk, VAThe V-drive belts' rolling off the sheaves for undetermined reasons, resulting in a loss of power to the rotor system, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during the autorotation, resulting in a hard landing.Nov 24, 2007 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N442FA · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20021122034719IHovering · St Louis, MO(-23) Student pilot was on a supervised solo. His flight instructor was daniel Louis neunebel, holder of flight instructor certificate number 496508667. The CFI and student pilot hovered to the north practice area of the airport together. The CFI got out of…Nov 22, 2002 · Minor damage