# Accident 20110720021079A: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, South Brunswick, NJ, July 20, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2011, 11:26 local time
- Place: South Brunswick, NJ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.3697° N, 74.5031° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3697&lon=-74.5031&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83509, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N83509-2013-02-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 419 total, 113 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11LA409](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA409) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110720021079A

## Narrative

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

WHILE HOVERING AT APPROX 500' THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SETTLING WITH POWER, AND NEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY, LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.  WHILE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE EXISTED TO RECOVER.  THE PILOT CANNOT REMEMBER ANYTHING BEYOND 250' IN THE DESCENT.THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, VERTICAL FLIGHT PATH, AND AT AN APPARENT HIGH RATE OF DESCENT.  THE LACK OF DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WOULD SUGGEST THE ROTOR BEING DRIVEN (POWER ).  WHILE THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURED TO THE AIRCRAFT, WITH SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA11LA409](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA409), Jul 20, 2011: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (N83509), Dayton, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during an out-of-ground-effect hover, which resulted in a loss of control due to settling with power and loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

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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