20170825010479A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · El Dorado Hills, CA · August 25, 2017

Date: August 25, 2017 · 19:00 local
Place: El Dorado Hills, CA
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N61NM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR17LA188
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,500 total

N61NMRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11019 · Built 2006 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.

The pilot of N61NM experienced engine problems and performed an off airport emergency landing on

Private property in El Dorado Hills, CA. The helicopter first landed on an array of solar panels. The pilot tried to relocate the aircraft and experienced a second engine issue which ended with the helicopter going through a stand of trees and rolling on it's side.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT OF N61NM EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND PERFORMED AN OFF AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING ON

PRIVATE PROPERTY IN EL DORADO HILLS, CA. THE HELICOPTER FIRST LANDED ON AN ARRAY OF SOLAR PANELS. THE PILOT TRIED TO RELOCATE THE AIRCRAFT AND EXPERIENCED A SECOND ENGINE ISSUE WHICH ENDED WITH THE HELICOPTER GOING THROUGH A STAND OF TREES AND ROLLING ON IT'S SIDE.

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 WPR17LA188Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEl Dorado Hills, CAMaintenance personnel's inadequate routine maintenance on the helicopter engine, which led to low cylinder compression, improper magneto timing, and camshaft lobe wear, which subsequently resulted in degraded engine performance.Aug 26, 2017 · Substantial damage