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20100917046489A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Robinson He R44 II · Duluth, MN · September 17, 2010

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 17, 2010 · 00:23 local
Place
Duluth, MN
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N145DM
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN10LA556
Reported as
Robinson He R44 II
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-540
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,600 total300 in this make and model65 in the last 90 days
N145DMRegistration cancelled May 15, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11004 · Built 2005Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 IIEngine 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 pilot conducted a night takeoff from a beach and initiated his climb out over water. The sky/water reference line was poor due to few ground lights, minimal starlight, and no moon. Shortly ater takeoff, the aircraft was observed to impact the water in a level attitude. The helicopter sunk almost immediately, and the pilot was rescued by boat. The pilot was hospitalized wih minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT CONDUCTED A NIGHT TAKEOFF FROM A BEACH AND INITIATED HIS CLIMB OUT OVER WATER. THE SKY/WATER REFERENCE LINE WAS POOR DUE TO FEW GROUND LIGHTS, MINIMAL STARLIGHT, AND NO MOON. SHORTLY ATER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO IMPACT THE WATER IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER SUNK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AND THE PILOT WAS RESCUED BY BOAT. THE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED WIH MINOR INJURIES.

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 CEN10LA556Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDuluth, MNThe pilot's failure to identify and arrest the helicopter's descent due to spatial disorientation.Sep 17, 2010 · Destroyed