# Accident 20100328031359A: Robinson He R22 BETA, Miami Beach, FL, March 28, 2010 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 28, 2010, 12:55 local time - Place: Miami Beach, FL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 25.7786° N, 80.0811° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7786&lon=-80.0811&mi=10 - Aircraft: N72377, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N72377-2014-11-19) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HE R22 BETA - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320-B2C - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA190) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100328031359A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 03/28- INITIAL REPORT FROM COMM CENTER- E-5 C GAUTHIER, USCG INFORMED OF AN ACCIDENT WITH A ROBINSON 22- DITCHED IN 100 FOOT OF WATER OFF 1/ 1/2 MILE OF GOVERNMENT CUT IN MIAMI. REQUESTED LAT/LONG- 2546.25N, 08004.8 W. AS APPROX LOCATION- THIS IS WHERE CREWMEN (2) SURVIVED AND PICKED UP. AIRCRAFT- SUNK NEAR THIS LOCATION. REPORTED TIME BY USCG WAS 16:55 ZULU. (12:55 LOCAL.) REQUEST WEATHER- WINDS 15-20 KNOTS SE; VISIBILITY 7 MILES 6-8 FOOT WAVES. RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR THE HELICOPTER DISCONTINUED DUE TO HEAVY SEAS. NO INJURIES TO CREW- COAST GUARD CHECKED OUT THEIR CONDITION AND RELEASED- INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THEY EXPRESSED INTENTIONS IN THE FLIGHT WAS INSTRUCTION TAKING PICTURE OF BOATS FOR A MIAMI EVENT. THEY REPORTED HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS- NO SERVICES WERE BEING PROVIDED FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL FROM MIAMI CENTER- REPORTED DEPARTURE POINT WAS NORTH PERRY AIRPORT (HWO).CONTACT OF JUAN RAMOS OPS MGR MIAMI CTR, AFFIRMED THEY WERE NOT UNDER CONTROL OF MIAMI CENTER AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT.CENTER AND NTSB INFORMED OF FINDINGS- THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OR LOSS IF UNABLE TO RECOVER. USCG CALLED AND WAS INFORMED THAT TWO SALVAGE COMPANIES WERE TO BID FOR RECOVERY OF THE HELECOPTERAIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED FOR A COMPANY CALLED BOATPIX AT NOPRTH PERRY AIRPORT.3/29- CALL CENTER REAFFIRMED THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS CALLED FOR AN INTERVIEW;MARTIN SINTOV (PILOT) INDICATED HE HAD LEFT NORTH PERRY ON EASTERLY HEADING APPROXIMATELY 45 MINTES PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. HE VERIFIED THAT HE HAD CLEARED VIA NORTH PERRY TOWER AND WAS NOT UNDER CONTROL BY MAIMI CENTER. ON AARIVAL AT THE MIAMI BEACH GOVERNMENT CUT, THEY NOTED SOME HEAVY SEAS AND PROCEEDE TO FLY UP AND DOWN THE COURSE OF FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 1 AND 1/2 MILE FROM THE BEACH LINE. HE SAID THEY DROPPED TO 100 FEET FROM THE WATER TO PHOTOGRAPH BOATS. INQUIRED ABOUT INSTUCTION- HE INFORMED NONE WAS BEING GIVEN AT THE TIME. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING ON THE FINAL PASS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT ON A SOUTH HEADING, HE TURNED 180 DEGREES BACK TO THE NORTH. AT ABOUT 100 FOOT HE NOTICED A LOSS OF ROTOR RPMS. HE CAME UP ON THE TROTTLE AND NOTED NO INCREASING POWER AT THAT TIME. WHEN ASKED IF HE LOST ALTITUDE-HE SAID HE DID AND PRECEDED TO TRY TO AUTOROTATE WITH COLLECTIVE TO NO AVAIL, HELICOPTER STARTED TO TURN TO RIGHT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL. HE BACKED OFF ON THE TROTTLE- AT ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE WATER. HE SAID THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DIPPED INTO A WAVE, AS THEY WERE ROUGH SEAS. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER CAME INTO THE SURFACE FLAT. THE CREW EGRESSED AT THIS TIME INTO THE WATER AND CLEARED THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER SANK IMMEDIATELY. HE AFFIRMED AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FLOATS, AND ONLY THE CO-PILOT HAD ON LIFE PRESERVER. PILOT LICENSE, MEDICAL AND INSTRUCTOR CERT SANK WITH AIRCRAFT.AS OF 04/23/2010-RECOVERY EFFORT OF AIRCRAFT STILL REPORTED AS UNSUCCESSFUL. ## 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 ERA10LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA190), Mar 28, 2010: Robinson R22 (N72377), Miami, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of main rotor rpm for undetermined reasons. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.