# Accident 20120617012149A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Fort Mcdowell, AZ, June 17, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 17, 2012, 10:50 local time
- Place: Fort Mcdowell, AZ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6706° N, 111.6708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6706&lon=-111.6708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N808WH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N808WH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 477 total, 152 in this make and model, 114 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA267) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120617012149A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 17, 2012, N808WH, A ROBINSON R-44 II HELICOPTER, DEPARTED THE SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT ON A FLIGHT INSTRUCTION / SIGHTSEEING TOUR.  THE AIRCRAFT PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  ON BOARD WERE TWO PASSENGERS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND HIS WIFE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ASKED HIS PASSENGERS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN AUTOROTATION DEMONSTRATION.  THEY REPLIED YES THEY WOULD.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION.  SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS' SIDE.  THE TAILBOOM BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.  THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE.THE PIC STATED THAT WHEN HE INITIATED A POWER RECOVERY THE ENGINE STAYED AT IDLE.AN INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THAT THE MAIN AND RESERVE TANKS CONTAINED FUEL.  AN INSPECTION OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE DEMONSTRATED CONTINUITY.  THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGS APPEARED TO BE IN ORDER WITH NO PRIOR DISCREPANCY THAT WOULD INDICATE PRIOR ENGINE PROBLEMS.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNINJURED.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE PIC WAS ALSO UNINJURED.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED A DEEP CUT ON HIS KNEE AND A FRACTURED BONE IN HIS WRIST.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 WPR12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA267), Jun 17, 2012: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N808WH), Scottsdale, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control and subsequent hard landing.

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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