20190108000159A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Uvalde, TX · January 8, 2019

Date: January 8, 2019 · 10:00 local
Place: Uvalde, TX
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N484AB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN19LA065
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,650 total968 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days

N484ABRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11390 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.

On January 8, 2019 at 1000 CDT, a Robinson R44 bearing registration number N484AB, registered to coejo aviation LLC. Impacted terrain immediately following takeoff at garner field airport Uvalde, TX. The helicopter was being operated on a personal training flight. Visual meterological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot and passenger were uninjured.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 8, 2019 AT 1000 CDT, A ROBINSON R44 BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N484AB, REGISTERED TO COEJO AVIATION LLC. IMPACTED TERRAIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TAKEOFF AT GARNER FIELD AIRPORT UVALDE, TX. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL TRAINING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED.

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 CEN19LA065Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportUvalde, TXThe slipping of the sprag clutch due to galling of the sprags and corresponding sprag contact surfaces within the clutch assembly, which rendered the helicopter uncontrollable.Jan 8, 2019 · Substantial damage