20171205022769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Fort Pierce, FL · December 5, 2017

Date: December 5, 2017 · 13:08 local
Place: Fort Pierce, FL
Airport: Fort Pierce
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N99RW
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA18CA072
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total2,000 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N99RWRegistration cancelled Apr 23, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0793 · Built 2000 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming 0-540F1 SERIEReciprocating

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 N99RW just returned from a cross country flight from boca raton back to the Fort Pierce Airport. After landing the pilot proceeded to taxi to the ramp and land. While hovering over the landing spot the pilot stated he lost control of the helicopter and ended up in a high nose up attitude causing the tail boom to strike the ground. After the strike occurred the aircraft was left uncontrollable and rolled on it's right side causing the main rotor blades to strike the pavement. The aircraft rotor system broke into pieces and caused sudden stoppage. The aircraft came to final rest on the landing pad.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT OF N99RW JUST RETURNED FROM A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM BOCA RATON BACK TO THE FORT PIERCE AIRPORT. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AND LAND. WHILE HOVERING OVER THE LANDING SPOT THE PILOT STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND ENDED UP IN A HIGH NOSE UP ATTITUDE CAUSING THE TAIL BOOM TO STRIKE THE GROUND. AFTER THE STRIKE OCCURRED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEFT UNCONTROLLABLE AND ROLLED ON IT'S RIGHT SIDE CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE PAVEMENT. THE AIRCRAFT ROTOR SYSTEM BROKE INTO PIECES AND CAUSED SUDDEN STOPPAGE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO FINAL REST ON THE LANDING PAD.

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 GAA18CA072Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportFort Pierce, FLThe pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a tail strike and hard landing.Dec 5, 2017 · Substantial damage