What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative:
On April 27, 2017, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 ii, N728CB, operated by chesapeake bay helicopters, was substantially damaged during a collision with terrain while maneuvering near Newton, north carolina. The commercial pilot and crewmember incurred minor injuries. The local aerial observation flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from concord regional airport (jqf), concord, north carolina, about 1225.
The pilot reported that he was performing a pipeline patrol at 500 feet above ground level and airspeed of 70 knots. During the patrol, the crew observed a right-of-way infraction and circled the location at the same airspeed and altitude. While extending the circling pattern, the pilot felt a shudder in the controls while at the same time, the nose of the helicopter yawed right and the helicopter began to spin. He immediately lowered the nose in an attempt to increase forward motion, but the rate of spin increased. He then attempted to set up for an autorotation and avoid residences and utility wires. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and the pilot was able to shut down the engine and exit the helicopter. Crewmember (observer) and witness statements indicated the helicopter lost control and was spinning prior to impact.
Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the helicopter. As of 5/18/2017 tailrotor continuity has been confirmed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE:
ON APRIL 27, 2017, ABOUT 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBINSON R44 II, N728CB, OPERATED BY CHESAPEAKE BAY HELICOPTERS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR NEWTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND CREWMEMBER INCURRED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM CONCORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (JQF), CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA, ABOUT 1225.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PERFORMING A PIPELINE PATROL AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND AIRSPEED OF 70 KNOTS. DURING THE PATROL, THE CREW OBSERVED A RIGHT-OF-WAY INFRACTION AND CIRCLED THE LOCATION AT THE SAME AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. WHILE EXTENDING THE CIRCLING PATTERN, THE PILOT FELT A SHUDDER IN THE CONTROLS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER YAWED RIGHT AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN. HE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE FORWARD MOTION, BUT THE RATE OF SPIN INCREASED. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO SET UP FOR AN AUTOROTATION AND AVOID RESIDENCES AND UTILITY WIRES. THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND EXIT THE HELICOPTER. CREWMEMBER (OBSERVER) AND WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATED THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL AND WAS SPINNING PRIOR TO IMPACT.
EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER. AS OF 5/18/2017 TAILROTOR CONTINUITY HAS BEEN CONFIRMED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.