20090131001299A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA II · Piru, CA · January 31, 2009

Date: January 31, 2009 · 11:19 local
Place: Piru, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4160A
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09FA104
Reported as: Robsin R22BETAII
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,000 total48 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N4160ARegistration cancelled Apr 3, 2009 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA IIS/N 4297 · Built 2008 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA II Engine modelLycoming O-360-J2AReciprocating

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.

Helicopter destroyed in impact with dry river bottom. Red paint transfer on rotor blades indicate rotor tip contact with aircraft tail boom at the “danger” decal. Tail boom severed section located in excess of 400’ feet from main wreckage site.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER DESTROYED IN IMPACT WITH DRY RIVER BOTTOM. RED PAINT TRANSFER ON ROTOR BLADES INDICATE ROTOR TIP CONTACT WITH AIRCRAFT TAIL BOOM AT THE “DANGER” DECAL. TAIL BOOM SEVERED SECTION LOCATED IN EXCESS OF 400’ FEET FROM MAIN WRECKAGE SITE.

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 WPR09FA104Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportFillmore, CAAn in-flight break-up while maneuvering as a result of the main rotor blades diverging from the normal plane of rotation and severing the tailboom. The underlying reason for the main rotor divergence could not be determined.Jan 31, 2009 · Substantial damage