20120920021169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Mcminville, OR · September 20, 2012

Date: September 20, 2012 · 12:40 local
Place: Mcminville, OR
Airport: Mc Minnville Municipal
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N74744
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12CA431
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 239 total165 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N74744Registration cancelled Jan 29, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10900 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Helicopter came in on an initial landing; the pilot said that it was sloppy so he picked it back up (take-off). The helicopter shot straight up to about 30-40 feet and completing 1 ½ -2 rapid turns. It then came down at a sharp nose down attitude come close to level before impacting the ground. The helicopter impacted the ground on the nose to the left side and then rolling over to the left. The tail rotor gear box and blades departed the helicopter. Main blades were damaged but stayed with the helicopter main rotor head.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER CAME IN ON AN INITIAL LANDING; THE PILOT SAID THAT IT WAS SLOPPY SO HE PICKED IT BACK UP (TAKE-OFF). THE HELICOPTER SHOT STRAIGHT UP TO ABOUT 30-40 FEET AND COMPLETING 1 ½ -2 RAPID TURNS. IT THEN CAME DOWN AT A SHARP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE COME CLOSE TO LEVEL BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE NOSE TO THE LEFT SIDE AND THEN ROLLING OVER TO THE LEFT. THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND BLADES DEPARTED THE HELICOPTER. MAIN BLADES WERE DAMAGED BUT STAYED WITH THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR HEAD.

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 WPR12CA431Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportMcMinnville, ORThe pilot's aggressive takeoff maneuver, which resulted in a loss of control.Sep 20, 2012 · Substantial damage