20160812024809A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Gunnison, UT · August 12, 2016

Date: August 12, 2016 · 12:30 local
Place: Gunnison, UT
Airport: Salina-Gunnison
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 6HHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N247DB
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA165
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,540 total920 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N247DBRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10086 · Built 2003 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.

This aircraft was performing aerial application operations when a fitting broke off of the spraying equipment. This malfunction caused the spraying system to start blowing out liquid on the right side of the aircraft into the air intake. The aircraft air filter has the liquid in it. When the fitting broke the aircraft engine started to sputter and then failed. The pilot entered an autorotation from about 50 knots and 75 feet AGL, damaging the tail boom and rotor blades.

As the FAA filed it

THIS AIRCRAFT WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS WHEN A FITTING BROKE OFF OF THE SPRAYING EQUIPMENT. THIS MALFUNCTION CAUSED THE SPRAYING SYSTEM TO START BLOWING OUT LIQUID ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE AIR INTAKE. THE AIRCRAFT AIR FILTER HAS THE LIQUID IN IT. WHEN THE FITTING BROKE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND THEN FAILED. THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION FROM ABOUT 50 KNOTS AND 75 FEET AGL, DAMAGING THE TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR BLADES.

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 WPR16LA165Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGunnison, UTA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.Aug 12, 2016 · Substantial damage