# Accident 20081112856659A: Robsin R44, San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 12, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 12, 2008, 14:31 local time
- Place: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Airport: Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.4568° N, 66.0985° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FERNANDO LUIS RIBAS DOMINICCI (SIG), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4568&lon=-66.0985&mi=10
- Aircraft: N52JM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROBSIN R44
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 727 in this make and model, 530 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081112856659A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AIRCRAFT ARRIVING TO ISLA GRANDE, PR (SIG) FROM ST. THOMAS USVI (STT) ON RUNWAY 9 ABEAM TO THE US CUSTOM RAMP THE HELICOPTER HOVERED IN FRONT OF THE SIG FAA CONTROL TOWER, THE PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INSTRUCTED TO SIDE-STEP TO AIRCRAFT PARKING.  THE PIC HOVERED FROM THE RUNWAY OVER THE GRASS AREA IN FRONT OF THE FAA CONTROL TOWER, THE HELICOPTER PITCHED UP, THEN STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT, ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE.  THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IMPACTED THE RUNWAY, AND THE HELICOPTER SLIDE ACROSS THE RUNWAY NORTH AND STOPPED JUST OFF THE RUNWAY IN FRONT OF THE FAA CONTROL TOWER.  THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR BLADES DAMAGED, AND TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX SHEARED OFF WHEN IT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY, WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME.  THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.  PIC ALSO INDICATED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR FAILED.  ACFT ACCIDENT WEATHER SAN JUAN ASOS 800Z OBSERVATIONS (TAKEN AT 1756Z) 10011KT VIS +10 FEW 032 30/23 A2982, 830Z, 07011KT VIS +10 FEW 032 30/23 A2982 AND 700Z OBSERVATIONS TAKEN AT 1856Z 07013KT VIS +10 FEW 032 30/22 A2982 BY SJU WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL/^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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