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20090320004069A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · Skull Valley, AZ · March 20, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 20, 2009 · 16:00 local
Place
Skull Valley, AZ
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N90764
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR09LA160
Reported as
Robsin R22
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
10,500 total700 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N90764Registration cancelled Nov 24, 2014 · Robinson Helicopter R22S/N 0267 · Built 1982Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22Engine 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) Pilot was circling a house for a real-estate agent to photograph house when he said he lost lift. He had just turned downwind and was approaching rising terrain that, from the photos taken during the flight, appeared to have trees rising to the level of his flight. The ground elevation was 5000'. Low, slow turning, acquiring a tail wind while unable to drop collective because of the raising terrain the helicopter lost translational lift, settled (with power) quickly, tail rotor struck a treetop separating the tail rotor drive shaft, tail rotor pitch control push rod, and tail rotor transmission. These parts were found in a counter-clockwise arch. The spinning helicopter hit the ground and rolled on its side making the accident survivable with only minor injuries. Robinson helicopter company safety notice SN-34 entitled "photo flights-very high risk" states that raising the collective to stop the descent in this situation can reduce RPM thereby reducing power available increasing descent rate with further loss of RPM and hence tail rotor effectiveness.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS CIRCLING A HOUSE FOR A REAL-ESTATE AGENT TO PHOTOGRAPH HOUSE WHEN HE SAID HE LOST LIFT. HE HAD JUST TURNED DOWNWIND AND WAS APPROACHING RISING TERRAIN THAT, FROM THE PHOTOS TAKEN DURING THE FLIGHT, APPEARED TO HAVE TREES RISING TO THE LEVEL OF HIS FLIGHT. THE GROUND ELEVATION WAS 5000'. LOW, SLOW TURNING, ACQUIRING A TAIL WIND WHILE UNABLE TO DROP COLLECTIVE BECAUSE OF THE RAISING TERRAIN THE HELICOPTER LOST TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, SETTLED (WITH POWER) QUICKLY, TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A TREETOP SEPARATING THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, TAIL ROTOR PITCH CONTROL PUSH ROD, AND TAIL ROTOR TRANSMISSION. THESE PARTS WERE FOUND IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE ARCH. THE SPINNING HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND AND ROLLED ON ITS SIDE MAKING THE ACCIDENT SURVIVABLE WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY SAFETY NOTICE SN-34 ENTITLED "PHOTO FLIGHTS-VERY HIGH RISK" STATES THAT RAISING THE COLLECTIVE TO STOP THE DESCENT IN THIS SITUATION CAN REDUCE RPM THEREBY REDUCING POWER AVAILABLE INCREASING DESCENT RATE WITH FURTHER LOSS OF RPM AND HENCE TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.

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 WPR09LA160Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPrescott, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm while maneuvering at a low altitude.Mar 20, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N90764 · 2

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

Incident 19920301008149IPwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft · Abilene, TXPilot stated that while conducting ranching operations he landed in rough terrain. Damaged the landing skid.Mar 1, 1992 · Minor damageAccident 19820501017709ALevel Off Touchdown · Las Vegas, NVMade hard landing. Pilot claims passenger control interference. Passenger claims not. No mechanical problems.May 1, 1982 · Substantial damage