20150828014779A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Cheyenne, WY · August 28, 2015

Date: August 28, 2015 · 11:00 local
Place: Cheyenne, WY
Airport: Cheyenne Regional/Jerry Olson Fiel
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N440SA
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15LA387
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,500 total1,600 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N440SARegistration cancelled Jan 16, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 12260 · Built 2008 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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 pilot and two passengers occupied the R44 performing "right of way" assessments for magellan petroleum.

After leaving Cheyenne regional airport, the aircraft flew south to the border to pick up the pipeline to fly north. A laptop power supply failed for one of the passengers. The crew decided to stop at a fuel terminal that is located approx 3 miles south of the Cheyenne airport. During the approach, the pilot stated that from base to final, the helicopter lost lift. He lowered the collective and tried to fly fwd to increase airspeed. However, at approximately 20-30 feet AGL, realized that they would be making contact with the ground. He straightened the aircraft and pulled collective. The helicopter hit the right skid, skidded about 8 feet to the left and hit the stinger. Both left and right skids separated from the aircraft. The stinger was bent and both ends of the tail rotor were separated from the hub. Minor injuries were sustained by all 3 souls aboard.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS OCCUPIED THE R44 PERFORMING "RIGHT OF WAY" ASSESSMENTS FOR MAGELLAN PETROLEUM.

AFTER LEAVING CHEYENNE REGIONAL AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW SOUTH TO THE BORDER TO PICK UP THE PIPELINE TO FLY NORTH. A LAPTOP POWER SUPPLY FAILED FOR ONE OF THE PASSENGERS. THE CREW DECIDED TO STOP AT A FUEL TERMINAL THAT IS LOCATED APPROX 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE CHEYENNE AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT STATED THAT FROM BASE TO FINAL, THE HELICOPTER LOST LIFT. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND TRIED TO FLY FWD TO INCREASE AIRSPEED. HOWEVER, AT APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET AGL, REALIZED THAT THEY WOULD BE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. HE STRAIGHTENED THE AIRCRAFT AND PULLED COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER HIT THE RIGHT SKID, SKIDDED ABOUT 8 FEET TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE STINGER. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SKIDS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE STINGER WAS BENT AND BOTH ENDS OF THE TAIL ROTOR WERE SEPARATED FROM THE HUB. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ALL 3 SOULS ABOARD.

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 CEN15LA387Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCheyenne, WYThe pilot's improper preflight performance planning, which resulted in a hard landing due to low rotor rpm while operating near maximum gross weight in high density altitude conditions.Aug 28, 2015 · Substantial damage