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20080906849199A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robins R44 II · Marathon, FL · September 6, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 6, 2008 · 14:15 local
Place
Marathon, FL
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N144SA
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC08CA305
Reported as
Robins R44II
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
230 total200 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days
N144SARegistration cancelled Aug 27, 2013 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10786 · 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) On September 6, 2008, at about 1415 EDT, a Robinson R-44II, helicopter, N144SA registered to frezo financial, crashed in about 3 feet of water in everglades national park, approximately 17 miles north east of Marathon Florida, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. There were no injuries to the private pilot or three passengers onboard. The flight originated at tamiami airport at about 1300 EDT, September 6, 2008. The pilot stated he was heading south towards Marathon and he brought the helicopter about to look at some sharks. The tail rotor began to spin in the direction of the rotor. He could not stop the spin and elected to set the aircraft down, he popped the emergency floats and as he settled in, the aircraft flipped to the left and came to rest on it's side partially submerged in the water. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction of the aircraft or the tail rotor system.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2008, AT ABOUT 1415 EDT, A ROBINSON R-44II, HELICOPTER, N144SA REGISTERED TO FREZO FINANCIAL, CRASHED IN ABOUT 3 FEET OF WATER IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES NORTH EAST OF MARATHON FLORIDA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PRIVATE PILOT OR THREE PASSENGERS ONBOARD. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TAMIAMI AIRPORT AT ABOUT 1300 EDT, SEPTEMBER 6, 2008. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS MARATHON AND HE BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER ABOUT TO LOOK AT SOME SHARKS. THE TAIL ROTOR BEGAN TO SPIN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ROTOR. HE COULD NOT STOP THE SPIN AND ELECTED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN, HE POPPED THE EMERGENCY FLOATS AND AS HE SETTLED IN, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST ON IT'S SIDE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM.

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 NYC08CA305Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMarathon, FLThe pilot's failure to control the helicopter while maneuvering, resulting in loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Sep 6, 2008 · Substantial damage