20151216022739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Valdez, AK · December 16, 2015

Date: December 16, 2015 · 09:45 local
Place: Valdez, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: 3VSA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N255VS
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC16LA010
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total1,000 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N255VSRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 13685 · Built 2014 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.

At 0945 local time N255VS R44 helicopter with vertical solutions was departing Valdez for a local power line patrol with two passengers on board. After rotation and transition to flight at approximately 20' to 30' the engine failed with no warning. The airman made an emergency landing which resulted in a hard impact landing that flattened out both skids and seperated the tail boom from the aircraft. No injuries reported.

As the FAA filed it

AT 0945 LOCAL TIME N255VS R44 HELICOPTER WITH VERTICAL SOLUTIONS WAS DEPARTING VALDEZ FOR A LOCAL POWER LINE PATROL WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. AFTER ROTATION AND TRANSITION TO FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 20' TO 30' THE ENGINE FAILED WITH NO WARNING. THE AIRMAN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT LANDING THAT FLATTENED OUT BOTH SKIDS AND SEPERATED THE TAIL BOOM FROM THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES REPORTED.

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 ANC16LA010Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportValdez, AKThe overhaul facility’s improper and excessive use of an approved lubricant during overhaul of the fuel injection servo, which resulted in a disruption of fuel flow and a total loss of engine power.Dec 16, 2015 · Substantial damage