20160826025019A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Kailua Kona, HI · August 26, 2016

Date: August 26, 2016 · 07:45 local
Place: Kailua Kona, HI
Airport: Kona International At Keahole
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator: RP8S
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N74805
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA168
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 650 total74 in this make and model126 in the last 90 days

N74805Registration cancelled Dec 18, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10934 · Built 2005 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

8/26/16 A R44 piloted by student privacy data omitted and CFI privacy data omitted after a soft landing went into an uncontrollable wobble, momentarily airborne and crashed under questionable circumstances.

Pilots indicated that this was the first flight of the day for them and the landing appeared to be a very nice approach and touch down. Moments after touch down, as the collective was lowered the student and pilot noticed a wobble that progressively got worse. The aircraft became airborne and CFI came on the controls in an effort to stop the aircraft . The helicopter flew like 20-30 feet from initial landing and was subsequently damaged from wobble and fore and aft movements.

Pilots believe that it was mechanical error.

Inspectors reeves and wilson did not find any mechanical errors with aircraft.

No mechanical issues could be determined from photos sent to Robinson manufacturer.

As the FAA filed it

8/26/16 A R44 PILOTED BY STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AFTER A SOFT LANDING WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE, MOMENTARILY AIRBORNE AND CRASHED UNDER QUESTIONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

PILOTS INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR THEM AND THE LANDING APPEARED TO BE A VERY NICE APPROACH AND TOUCH DOWN. MOMENTS AFTER TOUCH DOWN, AS THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED THE STUDENT AND PILOT NOTICED A WOBBLE THAT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND CFI CAME ON THE CONTROLS IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT . THE HELICOPTER FLEW LIKE 20-30 FEET FROM INITIAL LANDING AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGED FROM WOBBLE AND FORE AND AFT MOVEMENTS.

PILOTS BELIEVE THAT IT WAS MECHANICAL ERROR.

INSPECTORS REEVES AND WILSON DID NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL ERRORS WITH AIRCRAFT.

NO MECHANICAL ISSUES COULD BE DETERMINED FROM PHOTOS SENT TO ROBINSON MANUFACTURER.

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 WPR16LA168Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKailua/Kona, HIAn on-ground upset for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.Aug 26, 2016 · Substantial damage