20100704041999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson He R44 II · Austin, TX · July 4, 2010

Date: July 4, 2010 · 13:30 local
Place: Austin, TX
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N74546
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10CA369
Reported as: Robinson He R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,549 total1,325 in this make and model38 in the last 90 days

N74546Registration cancelled Sep 11, 2012 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11095 · Built 2006 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 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.

The helicopter pilot performed a max power climb out during which time he heard noise from the right door area. Reaching for the door across his body with his left hand, the helicopter rolled to the right. To avert contact with a hangar to his right he diverted to the left striking a treetop causing the helicopter to sink. This caused contact with a second tree and untimately a hard contact landing.

As the FAA filed it

THE HELICOPTER PILOT PERFORMED A MAX POWER CLIMB OUT DURING WHICH TIME HE HEARD NOISE FROM THE RIGHT DOOR AREA. REACHING FOR THE DOOR ACROSS HIS BODY WITH HIS LEFT HAND, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. TO AVERT CONTACT WITH A HANGAR TO HIS RIGHT HE DIVERTED TO THE LEFT STRIKING A TREETOP CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SINK. THIS CAUSED CONTACT WITH A SECOND TREE AND UNTIMATELY A HARD CONTACT LANDING.

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 CEN10CA369Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAustin, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter, resulting in impact with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to ensure the door was properly secured prior to flight.Jul 4, 2010 · Substantial damage