# Accident 20180502004489A: Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, Panama City Bea, FL, May 2, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 2018, 09:39 local time
- Place: Panama City Bea, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.1739° N, 85.8075° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1739&lon=-85.8075&mi=10
- Aircraft: N923SM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N923SM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER (registry code 7640115, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22 MARINER
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 480 total, 480 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA140) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180502004489A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED THAT ON MAY 2, 2018 HE CHECKED THE WEATHER AND PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF N923SM AT 09:30A.M. EST LOCAL. HE TOOK OFF FROM PERRY-FOLEY AIRPORT IN PERRY, FLORIDA (40J) FOR DESTIN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT DESTIN, FLORIDA (KDTS) ON A WESTWARD TRACK ALONG THE COAST. HE WAS LEAD AIRCRAFT IN A FLIGHT OF TWO HELICOPTERS.WHILE CRUISING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES AT 800 FEET AGL THE PILOT ENTERED THE PANAMA CITY BEACH AREA WHERE HE CONTACTED EGLIN TOWER.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ABOUT .5 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE SHORELINE AND HAD A SLIGHT TAIL WIND WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO LOSE FORWARD SPEED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE CYCLIC FORWARD TO INCREASE FORWARD SPEED AND MAINTAIN 60 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT THEN ATTEMPTED TO TRIM THE AIRCRAFT FOR ADDITIONAL SPEED WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LOSE SPEED HE TRIED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND AND WHILE TURNING TOWARD THE SHORELINE.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE CYCLIC WAS AGAINST THE FORWARD STOP AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A CYCLIC TURN THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE AND ADDED POWER TO AID IN MANEUVERING TO THE RIGHT AS HE DESCENDED TO THE WATER?S SURFACE ATTEMPTING TO AUTOROTATE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REMEMBERED TRYING TO FLARE UPON LANDING BUT WAS LOSING CONTROL AT TOUCHDOWN WITH NO FORWARD AIRSPEED. UPON LANDING ON THE WATER, ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND IMMEDIATELY ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT UPSIDE DOWN. THE PILOT REMEMBERED BEING COMPLETELY SUBMERGED, THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SURFACE HOLDING ON TO THE AIRCRAFT FLOATS.

## 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 ERA18LA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA140), May 2, 2018: Robinson R22 (N923SM), Panama City, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly remove and secure the tie-down ropes during the preflight inspection, which resulted in the ropes becoming entangled in the rotor head swashplate and pitch control…

## Other reports on N923SM (1)

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

- [Incident 19971218043289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971218043289I), Dec 18, 1997: Robsin R22MARINER (N923SM), Stow, MA, Minor damage. Narrative: student pilot was being administered a private pilot rotorcraft helicopter certification practical test by a designated pilot examiner. The…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.