20170719014619I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Babylon, NY · July 19, 2017

Date: July 19, 2017 · 10:15 local
Place: Babylon, NY
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: 2AFA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N188DD
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,953 total

N188DDRegistration cancelled Dec 13, 2017 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11314 · Built 2006 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.

Helicopter in cruise --14OOFT AGL@110KTS when PIC and pax heard loud bang and noted noticeable change in engine sound. RPM immediately became erratic and engine RPM exceeded rotor RPM. PIC attempted to manage RPM but was unsuccessful and as rotor RPM began to decay he entered autorotation.

Floats were deployed and a successful water landing was made. Engine was still running after landing and PIC shut engine down and evacuated aircraft. There were no injuries and aircraft damage appeared minimal.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER IN CRUISE --14OOFT AGL@110KTS WHEN PIC AND PAX HEARD LOUD BANG AND NOTED NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN ENGINE SOUND. RPM IMMEDIATELY BECAME ERRATIC AND ENGINE RPM EXCEEDED ROTOR RPM. PIC ATTEMPTED TO MANAGE RPM BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND AS ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION.

FLOATS WERE DEPLOYED AND A SUCCESSFUL WATER LANDING WAS MADE. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER LANDING AND PIC SHUT ENGINE DOWN AND EVACUATED AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE APPEARED MINIMAL.