# Accident 20151126020249A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Destin, FL, November 26, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 26, 2015, 11:45 local time
- Place: Destin, FL
- Airport: Destin
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4000° N, 86.4714° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4000&lon=-86.4714&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7512N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7512N) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,030 total, 1,030 in this make and model, 170 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151126020249A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST INCREASED THE THROTTLE TO FULL AND WAS BEGINNING TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND WHEN HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.  HE IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT.  UPON INSPECTION HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEVERED NEAR THE POINT WHERE IT ENTERED INTO THE TRANSMISSION

## 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 ERA16LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA054), Nov 26, 2015: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N7512N), Destin, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The overstress fracture between the tail rotor driveshaft and intermediate flex plate for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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.

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