# Accident 20130502006929A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Pomeroy, WA, May 2, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 2013, 15:50 local time
- Place: Pomeroy, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: YJDG
- Location: 46.4864° N, 117.4214° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.4864&lon=-117.4214&mi=10
- Aircraft: N442RN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442RN) (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: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,911 total, 1,262 in this make and model, 270 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA217) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130502006929A

## Narrative

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

THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER, WHICH HAD BEEN CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL AERIAL SPRAYING OF CHEMICALS THAT DAY, RETURNED TO BE REFUELED AND TOPPED OFF WITH ANOTHER LOAD OF CHEMICAL SOLUTION BY A GROUND CREW LOADER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT?S STATEMENT, HE LIFTED OFF FROM THE LOADING TRUCK PLATFORM AFTER BEING CLEARED BY THE LOADER, AND THEN BEGAN FORWARD FLIGHT, WHEN THE LOW RPM HORN SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SOUND.  THE PILOT PUSHED THE EMERGENCY DUMP BUTTON AND ATTEMPTED TO FLY OUT OF THE LOW RPM CONDITION BUT STATED THAT THE ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SINK. HE THEN ATTEMPTED A RUN-ON LANDING ON THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FROM THE LOADING TRUCK AND PLATFORM. THE HELICOPTER SKIDS ROCKED UP ON THEIR TOES AND THE LEFT SKID DUG INTO THE SOIL, WHICH CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO NOSE OVER AND FLIP ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO VISIBLE MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES. THE PILOT VERBALLY STATED TO BOTH THIS INVESTIGATOR AND THE NTSB THAT HE SUSPECTED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY HIS HELICOPTER BEING OVERWEIGHT FOR THE CONDITIONS DUE TO EITHER RETURNING TO THE LOADING SITE WITH RESIDUAL CHEMICALS IN THE TANK OR A VALVE MALFUNCTION DURING THE LOADING PROCESS RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE PRODUCT BEING SUPPLIED.  THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72 DEGREES F AND THE WIND WAS CALM AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO OTHER EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO DISPUTE THE PILOT?S STATEMENT.

## 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 WPR13LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA217), May 2, 2013: Robinson R44 II (N442RN), Pomeroy, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to ensure that the helicopter was properly loaded, which resulted in the helicopter being in excess of its maximum allowable gross weight and led to a loss of main rotor rpm on…

## Other reports on N442RN (1)

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

- [Incident 20120612010029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120612010029I), Jun 12, 2012: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II (N442RN), Dayton, WA, Minor damage. N442RN, a R-44 helicopter received minor damage to the spray-boom when it contacted a power-line while conducting 137 operations near Dayton, Washington.…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.