20150715012479A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Sandusky, MI · July 15, 2015

Date
July 15, 2015 · 13:05 local
Place
Sandusky, MI
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8337Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA15CA227
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
550 total175 in this make and model12 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 was to land N8337Z in the front yard of privacy data omitted. Upon landing on a heading of 220 - 240 and at about 10 - 20 feet above ground, the pilot pedal turned left, landed and shut down. The pilot exited the aircraft and entered privacy data omitted. privacy data omitted Employees told the pilot he hit power lines. The pilot was unaware. Employees said they would call power company. Pilot exited the business, did a walk around of the aircraft and noted some tailrotor damage. He then did a run up with some pedal turns and then took off on a northeast heading. No vibration noted and then landed 10 - 15 minutes later at his residence.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS TO LAND N8337Z IN THE FRONT YARD OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. UPON LANDING ON A HEADING OF 220 - 240 AND AT ABOUT 10 - 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND, THE PILOT PEDAL TURNED LEFT, LANDED AND SHUT DOWN. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ENTERED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EMPLOYEES TOLD THE PILOT HE HIT POWER LINES. THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE. EMPLOYEES SAID THEY WOULD CALL POWER COMPANY. PILOT EXITED THE BUSINESS, DID A WALK AROUND OF THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED SOME TAILROTOR DAMAGE. HE THEN DID A RUN UP WITH SOME PEDAL TURNS AND THEN TOOK OFF ON A NORTHEAST HEADING. NO VIBRATION NOTED AND THEN LANDED 10 - 15 MINUTES LATER AT HIS RESIDENCE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.