20090430005439A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 · New Braunfels, TX · April 30, 2009

Date: April 30, 2009 · 16:45 local
Place: New Braunfels, TX
Airport: New Braunfels Municipal
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7519V
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09CA273
Reported as: Robsin R22
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,530 total1,500 in this make and model220 in the last 90 days

N7519VRegistration cancelled Jan 31, 2013 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 3565 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming O-360 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 April 30, 2009, approximately 1645 CDT, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, N7519V, was destroyed when it landed hard and rolled onto the left side after the pilot attempted a 180 auto rotation at the New Braunfels Municipal Airport in New Braunfels, Texas. The commercial pilot and the passenger, a private pilot, were not injured. The helicopter was on a maintenance test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The pilot stated that he rolled the throttle off on the downwind leg to initiate the autorotation. On base leg, RPM decreased into the low green arc. He decided to abort the manuever and rolled the throttle on. The RPM continued to decrease. The pilot turned to the runway and landed hard. The tail rotor separated and helicopter rolled on to its left side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 30, 2009, APPROXIMATELY 1645 CDT, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, N7519V, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT LANDED HARD AND ROLLED ONTO THE LEFT SIDE AFTER THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A 180 AUTO ROTATION AT THE NEW BRAUNFELS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE PASSENGER, A PRIVATE PILOT, WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED; NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF ON THE DOWNWIND LEG TO INITIATE THE AUTOROTATION. ON BASE LEG, RPM DECREASED INTO THE LOW GREEN ARC. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE MANUEVER AND ROLLED THE THROTTLE ON. THE RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT TURNED TO THE RUNWAY AND LANDED HARD. THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED AND HELICOPTER ROLLED ON TO ITS LEFT SIDE.

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 CEN09CA273Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportNew Braunfels, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm during a practice autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the instructor pilot's delayed remedial action.Apr 30, 2009 · Substantial damage