# Incident 20110528010649I: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 ASTRO, Huntsville, TN, May 28, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 28, 2011, 12:25 local time
- Place: Huntsville, TN
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.4177° N, 84.5098° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Huntsville, TN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4177&lon=-84.5098&mi=10
- Aircraft: N128KR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N128KR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 ASTRO (registry code 7640121, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-astro) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 (registry code 42353, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-f1b5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 ASTRO
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 312 total, 140 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110528010649I

## Narrative

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

ON THE SECOND SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE DAY, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 91.147, THE PILOT LOADED 3 PASSENGERS.  HE INQUIRED AS TO THE WEIGHT OF EACH PASSENGER AND INITIALLY CALCULATED THAT THE WEIGHT WAS LESS THAN 600 LBS, WHICH HE ESTIMATED WOULD KEEP HIM UNDER MAX GROSS WEIGHT OF 2400 LBS. HE LIFTED THE HELICOPTER FROM THE HELIPAD AND BEGAN A CLIMB OUT. HE LEFT THE LANDING AREA AND WAS CLIMBING OVER TREES WHEN HE STATED THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO LOSE LIFT.  HE ROLLED MAX THROTTLE AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE, BECAUSE HE NOTICED THE ROTOR RPM WAS DROPPING.  HE STATED THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION.  HE THEN ENTERED INTO AN AUTO ROTATION AND LANDED ON AN ATV TRAIL APPROXIMATELY 79 YARDS DOWNSLOPE AND DUE NORTH OF THE HELIPAD. THE HELICOPTER LANDED LEVEL AND THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A SLIGHT UPHILL EMBANKMENT.  THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK SOME MINOR TREE LIMBS.  THE ROBINSON -44 WAS SHUT DOWN AND EVACUATED WITH NO INJURIES.  NO POST INCIDENT FIRE AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED.  NTSB WAS NOTIFIED.

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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