20130728014559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Capron, IL · July 28, 2013

Date: July 28, 2013 · 15:44 local
Place: Capron, IL
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 4B9G
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9681R
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13LA448
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 977 total846 in this make and model179 in the last 90 days

N9681RRegistration cancelled Jan 10, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 1046 · Built 2001 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming O-540-F1B5Reciprocating

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.

privacy data omitted Was the pilot in command of N9681R during aerial application on July 28, 2013. privacy data omitted Was flying downwind from the spray field to return for another pass when the aircraft began to settle at which point he turned back into the wind and increased pitch to arrest the descent. This resulted in a low rotor RPM condition which Mr. Eilo was unable to recover from impacting some trees then the ground.

No mechancial abnormablities were found.

As the FAA filed it

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF N9681R DURING AERIAL APPLICATION ON JULY 28, 2013. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING DOWNWIND FROM THE SPRAY FIELD TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER PASS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE AT WHICH POINT HE TURNED BACK INTO THE WIND AND INCREASED PITCH TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THIS RESULTED IN A LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION WHICH MR. EILO WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER FROM IMPACTING SOME TREES THEN THE GROUND.

NO MECHANCIAL ABNORMABLITIES WERE FOUND.

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 CEN13LA448Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCapron, ILThe pilot's failure to maintain main rotor speed while maneuvering at low altitude during an agricultural application flight, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into terrain.Jul 28, 2013 · Substantial damage