20180607007239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Gulf Shores, AL · June 7, 2018

Date: June 7, 2018 · 13:40 local
Place: Gulf Shores, AL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N755KT
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18LA161
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 811 total747 in this make and model193 in the last 90 days

N755KTRegistration cancelled Jul 31, 2021 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 10294 · Built 2004 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540-AE1A5Reciprocating

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.

Pilot reported while traveling at cruise altitude of 400' along the coastline the engine shuddered briefly and quit. An autorotation to the water was initiated due to a crowded beach front. The aircraft came to rest in approximately four feet of water. The aft tailboom at the tailrotor gearbox broke off the aircraft when the tailrotor blades hit the water. The aircraft came to rest upright in the surf.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED WHILE TRAVELING AT CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 400' ALONG THE COASTLINE THE ENGINE SHUDDERED BRIEFLY AND QUIT. AN AUTOROTATION TO THE WATER WAS INITIATED DUE TO A CROWDED BEACH FRONT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET OF WATER. THE AFT TAILBOOM AT THE TAILROTOR GEARBOX BROKE OFF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE TAILROTOR BLADES HIT THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN THE SURF.

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 ERA18LA161Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Morgan, ALA partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident engine examinations did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.Jun 7, 2018 · Substantial damage