# Accident 20111214029119A: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Tucson, AZ, December 14, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 14, 2011, 09:33 local time
- Place: Tucson, AZ
- Airport: Tucson International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.1022° N, 110.9572° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1022&lon=-110.9572&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4052G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4052G-2012-05-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-360
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 115 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR12FA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA066) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111214029119A

## Narrative

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

PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE TWO CALLS TO TUS ATCT STATING "ENGINE FAILURE". THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROX 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ON RAYTHEON PROPERTY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY RAYTHEON TO TEST A RADAR SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, SURVIVED THE CRASH AND WAS EXTRICATED AND TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. A WITNESS STATEMENT FROM RYAN HARTMAN, FLIGHT OPERATIONS TECHNICAL SUPPORT ENGINEER FOR RAYTHEON READS AS FOLLOWS: "THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON HIS THIRD RUN FOR DESCENDING FLIGHTS. HE WENT FROM 2000 FEET TO 800 FEET WHERE HE HOVERED. HE TURNED TO HEAD OUTBOUND BUT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET THE FRONT END PITCHED UP AND CONTINUED TO DESCEND UNTIL IT CRASHED."  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD "LOST A WEEK" AND THAT HE HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE REMEMBERED GOING TO WORK THAT DAY, BRIEFING THE FLIGHT, PRE FLIGHTING THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPARTING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING A "RACE TRACK" PATTERN AND WAS FLYING FROM A TEST CARD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE CAN REMEMBER THE FIRST TWO "LOOPS" OF THE RACE TRACK COURSE AND THEN THE NEXT THING HE CAN REMEMBER IS WAKING UP IN THE HOSPITAL A WEEK LATER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER AN ENGINE FAILURE, ANY COMMUNICATIONS OR THE ACCIDENT AT ALL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT ALL HE KNOWS ABOUT THE ACCIDENT IS WHAT HE HAS BEEN TOLD AND THAT HE ASSUMES THAT HE HAD ATTEMPTED AN AUTO ROTATION. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ALSO OFFERED UP THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE "CARB ICE FUNCTION" AND THAT HE CAN ONLY THINK THAT HE SHOULD HAVE USED IT BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS BUT THAT HE COULD NOT REMEMBER IF HE HAD, IN FACT, BEEN USING IT OR NOT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD HIS PILOT LOGS WITH HIM IN THE HOSPITAL AND OPS INSPECTOR BEUTEL, OF THIS OFFICE, REVIEWED THEM AND PHOTOGRAPHED PERTINENT ENTRIES. THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A CARB HEAT ASSIST DEVICE WHICH CORRELATES APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT WITH CHANGES IN COLLECTIVE SETTING TO REDUCE PILOT WORK LOAD. IT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER THAT THE CONTROL KNOB BE UNLATCHED TO ACTIVATE CARB HEAT ASSIST WHEN THE OAT IS BETWEEN 80 F AND 25 F AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEW POINT AND OAT IS LESS THAN 20 F. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE OAT WAS 46 F, THE DEW POINT WAS 39 F WITH A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEW POINT AND OAT OF 7 F. AN INSPECTION OF THE CARB HEAT ASSIST SYSTEM INSTALLED ON THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT INDICATES THAT IT WAS NOT IN USE AND WAS LATCHED IN THE OFF POSITION.

## 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 WPR12FA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA066), Dec 14, 2011: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (N4052G), Tucson, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to utilize carburetor heat while maneuvering. .

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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