# Accident 20090719047909A: Robinson He R44 II, West Hempfield, PA, July 19, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 2009, 08:40 local time
- Place: West Hempfield, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0719° N, 76.4319° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0719&lon=-76.4319&mi=10
- Aircraft: N25VH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25VH-2010-04-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HE R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 275 total, 62 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09LA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA410) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090719047909A

## Narrative

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

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT PILOT NOTED AN ALTITUDE LOSS AND DETERMINED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.  AUTOROTATIVE APPROACH TO A FIELD WAS EXECUTED RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.  PRELIMINARY POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL A CAUSAL FACTOR.  FURTHER TESTING OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE  PLANNED BY MANUFACTURER.  ON 10-19-2009 AMMENDED THIS REPORT DUE RECEIPT OF ENGINE TEST RESULTS INDICATING PROPER ENGINE PERFORMANCE. A 44709 REEXAMINATION OF THE SUBJECT AIRMAN IS PLANNED DUE TO FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE ALTITUDE AND ENGINE POWER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA09LA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA410), Jul 19, 2009: Robinson R44 (N25VH), Silver Spring, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's inability to fully control the helicopter, during cruise and the resultant off-field hard landing.

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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