# Accident 20151216022739A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Valdez, AK, December 16, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 2015, 09:45 local time
- Place: Valdez, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 3VSA
- Location: 61.1342° N, 146.2447° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1342&lon=-146.2447&mi=10
- Aircraft: N255VS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N255VS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC16LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151216022739A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ANC16LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA010), Dec 16, 2015: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N255VS), Valdez, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.