# Accident 20170923019772A: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Clearwater, FL, September 23, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 2017, 17:00 local time
- Place: Clearwater, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.9772° N, 82.7592° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9772&lon=-82.7592&mi=10
- Aircraft: N404TB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N404TB-2020-12-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA (registry code 7640110, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (registry code 42314, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 245 total, 245 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA332) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170923019772A

## Narrative

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

THE ROBINSON HELICOPTER (R-22) THAT DAY WAS OUT PRACTICING PATTERN WORK, ON THE INITIAL DEPARTURE HE SAW AN AIRCRAFT ON BASE TO RUNWAY 16 AND ADVISED HIM THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WAS 34, AT WHICH TIME HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT VEER TO THE LEFT. WHEN ON HIS SECOND DOWNWIND HE SAW AN AIRCRAFT LAND RUNWAY 34. THE HELICOPTER TURNED FINAL ABOUT A MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY 34 AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AND MADE A STEEP APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34 TO AN ALTITUDE OF 10-15 FEET.

THE PIPER ARROW DEPARTED CLEARWATER AIRPARK TO THE WEST AT 1600 TO PRACTICE COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS. RETURNED TO THE CLEARWATER AIRPARK AT ABOUT 1700, ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 34 TO MAKE HIS ONE AND ONLY LANDING.

BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE PATTERN AT CLEARWATER AIRPARK AND EACH STATED THEY MADE THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS. BOTH PILOTS STATED THEY NEVER HEARD THE OTHER PILOT?S TRANSMISSIONS.  THE HELICOPTER WAS TRANSITIONING FROM APPROACH TO HOVER OVER RUNWAY 34 WHEN THE PIPER ARROW CAME IN ON FINAL TO RUNWAY 34. DURING THE TRANSITION OF THE PIPER ARROW TO LANDING, THE PILOT SAW THE HELICOPTER AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND THE PIPER ARROW?S LEFT WING STRUCK THE HELICOPTER AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST STACK CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROTATE 360 DEGREES AND LAND ON THE RUNWAY. AT THE POINT OF IMPACT, THE PIPER ARROW LOST 51 INCHES OF THE LEFT WING, AFTER PASSING THE HELICOPTER THE PIPER ARROW STARTED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT AND COLLAPSED THE LEFT WING ON THE RUNWAY. THE PIPER ARROW CONTINUED ROLLING LEFT UNTIL IT WAS INVERTED AND SLIDE OFF THE LEFT SIDE ON THE RUNWAY.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N1881H, Piper PA-28R-201: [Accident 20170923019742A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170923019742A)

## 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 ERA17LA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA332), Sep 23, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R22 (N404TB), Clearwater, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a helicopter. Contributing to the accident was the airplane pilot's failure to adequately transmit his…

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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