20120918019069A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Slaton, TX · September 18, 2012

Date: September 18, 2012 · 15:55 local
Place: Slaton, TX
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N957R
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12CA643
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,750 total130 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N957RRegistration cancelled Dec 8, 2014 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10598 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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.

This was a final landing for the day. The pilot departed Slaton municipal airport in Slaton, TX (F49) at about 1330 local time, flew a commercial flight to yoakum county, Texas and returned to F49. The accident occurred when the pilot attempted to land on a landing platform (trailer) parked on the ramp. No flight plan was filed, and visual meterological conditions prevailed. Winds were calm to 5 knots from the sw. During the landing, the helicopter fell off the trailer and the main rotor struck the ground, severing the tail rotor from the tail boom. The impact damaged the fuel tanks and separated the windshield. There was an immediate fire when the remaining 20 gallons of aviation fuel ignited. The pilot evacuated the aircraft and was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

THIS WAS A FINAL LANDING FOR THE DAY. THE PILOT DEPARTED SLATON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN SLATON, TX (F49) AT ABOUT 1330 LOCAL TIME, FLEW A COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TO YOAKUM COUNTY, TEXAS AND RETURNED TO F49. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A LANDING PLATFORM (TRAILER) PARKED ON THE RAMP. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WINDS WERE CALM TO 5 KNOTS FROM THE SW. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER FELL OFF THE TRAILER AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND, SEVERING THE TAIL ROTOR FROM THE TAIL BOOM. THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE FUEL TANKS AND SEPARATED THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE FIRE WHEN THE REMAINING 20 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL IGNITED. THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT INJURED.

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 CEN12CA643Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSlaton, TXThe pilot’s misalignment of the helicopter during landing, which resulted in the helicopter’s fall from a raised platform.Sep 18, 2012 · Substantial damage