20150825015619A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Ketchum, OK · August 25, 2015

Date: August 25, 2015 · 07:45 local
Place: Ketchum, OK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N444KD
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15LA379
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1

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.

The aircraft departed Ketchum airport north westerly. During climb out the pilot heard a loud boom at approximately 300 ft AGL and 80-90 knots. The aircraft veered left, pilot noticed loss of pedal controls and began autorotation, flaring the aircraft causing the tail section to depart the aircraft after impacting the ground. The aircraft continued in motion in the air for approximately 150' with fuseleage impacting ground and coming to rest on it's right side. The pilot then exited through the left door.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KETCHUM AIRPORT NORTH WESTERLY. DURING CLIMB OUT THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BOOM AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL AND 80-90 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT, PILOT NOTICED LOSS OF PEDAL CONTROLS AND BEGAN AUTOROTATION, FLARING THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING THE TAIL SECTION TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT AFTER IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN MOTION IN THE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY 150' WITH FUSELEAGE IMPACTING GROUND AND COMING TO REST ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT THEN EXITED THROUGH THE LEFT DOOR.

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 CEN15LA379Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKetchum, OKThe separation of the tail rotor gearbox from the tailboom aft bulkhead due to overstress loads imposed by a blade imbalance from an in-flight impact with an undetermined object.Aug 25, 2015 · Substantial damage