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20110710013199A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · West Palm Beach, FL · July 10, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 10, 2011 · 09:10 local
Place
West Palm Beach, FL
Airport
North County
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator
OH0S
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N10786
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA11LA392
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
250 total250 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days
N10786Registration cancelled Aug 28, 2020 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2267 · Built 1993Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming O-320-B2CReciprocating

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.

Instructor pilot & student conducted preflight on R-22 helicopter prior to flight that started at 0840 using rotor-craft flight manual (rfm). After practicing several normal take off's and quick-stops on runway 8L. , at approximately 0930, pilots initated a normal take off to enter F45 airport flight pattern. They built up airspeed on a normal takeoff and climb out, which at approximately 200 feet above the ground at 60 KIAS the nose of the aircraft yawed to the right the instructor pilot corrected with left rudder without any aircraft response. Instructor pilot then conducted an auto rotation procedures till aircraft crashed. Accident investigation found the aux. Fuel cap approximately 200 feet from original takeoff departure with a rotor blade stuck through the cap assembly. At approximately 300 feet hortizontal and vertical stab was found. Approximately 450 feet two pieces of rotor blade blades were found. At approximately the 1,000 feet marker aircraft fuselage wreckage with debris found located in general vicinity. Investigation revealed the auxilary fuel cap was not restrained by chain or any other mechanical device other than the latching tabs on the fuel neck. Additionally there were no "positive alignment marks" painted on fuel cap and fuselage for a visual aid. Therefore the fuel cap departed helicopter due to vibration or not being tightened properly, hitting rotor blade assembly causing a chain reaction of several rotor blades being broken off. Due to the rotor assembly in-balance the vertical and hortizontal stabalizer was damaged and departed aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

INSTRUCTOR PILOT & STUDENT CONDUCTED PREFLIGHT ON R-22 HELICOPTER PRIOR TO FLIGHT THAT STARTED AT 0840 USING ROTOR-CRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL (RFM). AFTER PRACTICING SEVERAL NORMAL TAKE OFF'S AND QUICK-STOPS ON RUNWAY 8L. , AT APPROXIMATELY 0930, PILOTS INITATED A NORMAL TAKE OFF TO ENTER F45 AIRPORT FLIGHT PATTERN. THEY BUILT UP AIRSPEED ON A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND CLIMB OUT, WHICH AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AT 60 KIAS THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT CORRECTED WITH LEFT RUDDER WITHOUT ANY AIRCRAFT RESPONSE. INSTRUCTOR PILOT THEN CONDUCTED AN AUTO ROTATION PROCEDURES TILL AIRCRAFT CRASHED. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND THE AUX. FUEL CAP APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM ORIGINAL TAKEOFF DEPARTURE WITH A ROTOR BLADE STUCK THROUGH THE CAP ASSEMBLY. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET HORTIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STAB WAS FOUND. APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET TWO PIECES OF ROTOR BLADE BLADES WERE FOUND. AT APPROXIMATELY THE 1,000 FEET MARKER AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WRECKAGE WITH DEBRIS FOUND LOCATED IN GENERAL VICINITY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AUXILARY FUEL CAP WAS NOT RESTRAINED BY CHAIN OR ANY OTHER MECHANICAL DEVICE OTHER THAN THE LATCHING TABS ON THE FUEL NECK. ADDITIONALLY THERE WERE NO "POSITIVE ALIGNMENT MARKS" PAINTED ON FUEL CAP AND FUSELAGE FOR A VISUAL AID. THEREFORE THE FUEL CAP DEPARTED HELICOPTER DUE TO VIBRATION OR NOT BEING TIGHTENED PROPERLY, HITTING ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION OF SEVERAL ROTOR BLADES BEING BROKEN OFF. DUE TO THE ROTOR ASSEMBLY IN-BALANCE THE VERTICAL AND HORTIZONTAL STABALIZER WAS DAMAGED AND DEPARTED AIRCRAFT.

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 ERA11LA392Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWest Palm Beach, FLSeparation of the auxiliary fuel tank cap, which entered the tail rotor system. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a fuel tank cap restraint.Jul 10, 2011 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N10786 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20200218002439ACotulla, TXPilot was about to fly a ranch survey. Aircraft engine was started and pilot was lifting off trailer for the intended flight, when aircraft entered a dynamic right roll off the trailer destroying the aircraft upon contact with the ground. It was discovered…Feb 18, 2020 · Destroyed