# Accident 20170520004719A: Robinson Helicopter Co R66, Canon City, CO, May 20, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 20, 2017, 13:45 local time
- Place: Canon City, CO
- Airport: Brown'S Fort Heliport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: COVJ
- Location: 38.2900° N, 105.1900° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2900&lon=-105.1900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N778TL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C300/A1
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 520 total, 95 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN17LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA192) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170520004719A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 20, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 13:45 MST, A ROBINSON R66, N778TL, REGISTERED TO HYNES AVIATION INDUSTRIES INC., OPERATED BY COLORADO VERTICAL ADVENTURES LLC, SUFFERED A HARD LANDING. AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF THIS HARD LANDING. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAILBOOM WHICH ENSUED IN A SEVERED TAILBOOM. AT THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN AN AIR TOUR CAPACITY WITH THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIVE PERSONNEL INVOLVED WERE NOT INJURED, AND ALL REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HELIPAD CO63 WHICH WAS ALSO INTENDED TO BE THE POINT OF RETURN FROM THIS FLIGHT, THE POINT OF IMPACT OF THE AIRCRAFT HARD LANDING WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE HUNDRED FEET TO THE NORTHEAST OF HELIPAD CO63.

## 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 CEN17LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA192), May 20, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R66 (N778TL), Canon City, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of helicopter control on approach to land due to a vortex ring state (settling with power) condition, which resulted in a hard landing.

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.

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