20100719040499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson He R44 II · Shreveport, LA · July 19, 2010

Date: July 19, 2010 · 16:30 local
Place: Shreveport, LA
Airport: Na
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: NA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N721BB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10CA417
Reported as: Robinson He R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 44 total44 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N721BBRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 12593 · Built 2008 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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.

Student pilot had lifted off from grass field. As he lifted off, the aircraft started to weathervane into the wind and the student overcompensated with the rudder. The aircraft's vertical stabilizer and tail rotor struck the ground, causing structural damage to the tail boom, right strut fairing, right fuselage and lower right side of the mast. The aircraft was able to remain upright and no other damage was observed.

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT PILOT HAD LIFTED OFF FROM GRASS FIELD. AS HE LIFTED OFF, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO WEATHERVANE INTO THE WIND AND THE STUDENT OVERCOMPENSATED WITH THE RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT'S VERTICAL STABILIZER AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND, CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, RIGHT STRUT FAIRING, RIGHT FUSELAGE AND LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF THE MAST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO REMAIN UPRIGHT AND NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED.

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 CEN10CA417Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportShreveport, LAThe student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff, resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a subsequent hard landing.Jul 19, 2010 · Substantial damage