# Accident 20121026023159A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Toutle, WA, October 26, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 2012, 12:00 local time
- Place: Toutle, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.3128° N, 122.2664° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3128&lon=-122.2664&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7530F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7530F-2013-05-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121026023159A

## Narrative

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

PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT WHILE CONDUCTING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS, MOVING CHRISTMAS TREES ON HIS PRIVATE PROPERTY. DURING A POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID THAT HE WAS HOVERING ABOVE A LOAD HE INTENDED TO PICK UP AND A MOMENTARY LACK OF ATTENTION ON HIS PART CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER AN UNRECOVERABLE STATE OF "SETTLING WITH POWER". THE PILOT THEN CLAIMS TO HAVE INITIATED RECOVERY PROCEDURES BUT DUE TO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TREE TOPS HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN AUTO ROTATION INTO THE TREES. THE ACCIDENT SITE INVESTIGATION SUBSTANTIATES THIS CLAIM WITH EVIDENCE OF WHERE THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TRESS AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAS MADE A HAND WRITTEN STATEMENT AND QUOTED AS FOLLOWS:"WAS FLYING SOUTHWESTERLY TO HOOK UP LOAD WHEN NOTICED DROP IN RPM BOTH IN ENGINE AND ROTOR. IMMEDIATELY LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND TURNED FACE INTO THE WIND (OR SW) TO TRY AND REGAIN RPM. STILL RPM WAS FALLING BELIEVE I WENT INTO ROTOR RING STATE (SETTLING WITH POWER) HAD TO ENTER AUTO ROTATION AND LAND INTO THE TREES." DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW ON OCTOBER 27, 2012, FAA INSPECTOR LANCE JOHNSON, ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER ANOMALIES REGARDING THE AIRCRAFT OR ENVIRONMENT, WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RESPONDED "NO, THE THING WAS RUNNING GREAT, I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE BUT IT WAS ALL ME".INSPECTOR JOHNSON ALSO ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IF HAD A 133 CERTIFICATE HE RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT AND THE OPERATIONS HE WAS CONDUCTING WERE NOT FOR COMPENSATION THAT IT WAS HIS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND FOR HIS CHRISTMAS TREE FARM.

## 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 WPR13LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA023), Oct 26, 2012: Robinson Helicopter R-44 II (N7530F), Toutle, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain precise altitude control, which resulted in the helicopter entering a settling with power condition while hovering out of ground effect.

## Other reports on N7530F (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20090521006639I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090521006639I), May 21, 2009: Robsin R44RAVENII (N7530F), Orient, WA, No damage. (-23) While flying low level waterfoul survey for the Washington state fish and wildlife service the pilot approached the bridge across the kettle river near…

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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