20171217023219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Gray Jim Robert EXEC · Caldwell, ID · December 17, 2017

Date: December 17, 2017 · 13:00 local
Place: Caldwell, ID
Airport: Caldwell Industrial
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N716JB
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR18LA050
Reported as: Gray Jim Robert Exec
Reported engine: Rotorway RW-145 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 577 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N716JBRegistered now · Gray Jim Robert EXECS/N EXEC-3000 Airframe modelGray Jim Robert EXEC Engine modelRotorway RW-145 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.

While performing what the pilot called "taxi way pattern work" (flying 40' AGL above the airport taxiways @ 10-20 KTS) the engine made a unusual noise. The pilot pushed the cyclic forward to perform an emergency landing. At 20' AGL the aircraft experienced a partial power loss and at 10' AGL a complete power loss. The aircraft landed hard, upright and with significant damage to the landing skids, lower fuselage, engine, transmission, and cabin mounts. Following aircraft recovery a large oil spill was found at the initial aircraft runup area.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE PERFORMING WHAT THE PILOT CALLED "TAXI WAY PATTERN WORK" (FLYING 40' AGL ABOVE THE AIRPORT TAXIWAYS @ 10-20 KTS) THE ENGINE MADE A UNUSUAL NOISE. THE PILOT PUSHED THE CYCLIC FORWARD TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AT 20' AGL THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND AT 10' AGL A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, UPRIGHT AND WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LANDING SKIDS, LOWER FUSELAGE, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND CABIN MOUNTS. FOLLOWING AIRCRAFT RECOVERY A LARGE OIL SPILL WAS FOUND AT THE INITIAL AIRCRAFT RUNUP AREA.

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 WPR18LA050Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCaldwell, IDFailure of the oil pressure gauge line, which resulted in oil exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.Dec 17, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N716JB · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20161019021589ATakeoff: Climb Out · Caldwell, IDPilot stated engine failed as helicopter was approx. 20 feet AGL and 50 KIAS. He maneuvered to grass area between the taxiway and runway 12/30 and prepared for a hard landing. Aircraft made contact with surface on skids and tail boom stinger. The helicopter…Oct 19, 2016 · Substantial damage Accident 19991001040219AAutorot Descent (Rotorcraft) · Gallup, NM(.4) The pilot remained in the traffic pattern to practice touch and go landings. At approximately the point where the helicopter would turn onto the base leg, rotor RPM began to decay (95%). The pilot turned towards the runway and began autorotation. During…Oct 1, 1999 · Substantial damage