# Accident 20180729019989A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Bettles, AK, July 29, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2018, 10:00 local time
- Place: Bettles, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QOFA
- Location: 66.8606° N, 151.6453° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8606&lon=-151.6453&mi=10
- Aircraft: N744AK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N744AK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,885 total, 1,728 in this make and model, 226 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC18LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18LA058) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180729019989A

## Narrative

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

29 JULY 2018 - ROBINSON R-44 DEPARTED BETTLES, ALASKA ON RUNWAY 20. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT HAD FUELED THE AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND COMPLETED A "15-20" MINUTE GROUND RUN.

AFTER THE AIRCRAFT REACHED ROUGHLY 500 FEET AGL, AND 3-4 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED AN AUTO ROTATION AND SETTLED INTO A MARSHY AREA. DUE TO GROUND CONDITIONS BEING UNSTABLE, THE AIRCRAFT SANK THROUGH THE MAT AND THE ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAILBOOM.  THE ELT WAS NOT ACTIVATED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

## 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 ANC18LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18LA058), Jul 29, 2018: Robinson R44 (N744AK), Bettles, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel's application of insufficient preload on the attachment hardware for the idler gear shaft during engine overhaul, which resulted in the dismounting of the idler gear shaft…

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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