20130206002119A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Tulsa, OK · February 6, 2013

Date: February 6, 2013 · 17:35 local
Place: Tulsa, OK
Airport: Tulsa International
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N276RC
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13LA155
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,255 total966 in this make and model243 in the last 90 days

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.

Pilot entered a hover after being cleared for takeoff from FBO at tul. Tower instructed him to turn to a headig of 210 degrees for departure. At this time he depressed the pedal for the turn and felt a shake and heard a loud noise, the nose yawed, he placed the throttle in detentand auto rotated to the ground. The helocopter sustained substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT ENTERED A HOVER AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF FROM FBO AT TUL. TOWER INSTRUCTED HIM TO TURN TO A HEADIG OF 210 DEGREES FOR DEPARTURE. AT THIS TIME HE DEPRESSED THE PEDAL FOR THE TURN AND FELT A SHAKE AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE, THE NOSE YAWED, HE PLACED THE THROTTLE IN DETENTAND AUTO ROTATED TO THE GROUND. THE HELOCOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

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 CEN13LA155Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTulsa, OKThe line technician’s failure to remove the refueling mat from the helicopter fuselage following servicing, which resulted in the mat striking the tail rotor in flight, and the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection.Feb 6, 2013 · Substantial damage