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20190404002509A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Tampa, FL · April 4, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 4, 2019 · 14:15 local
Place
Tampa, FL
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4046J
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA19FA142
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
658 total296 in this make and model129 in the last 90 days
N4046JRegistration cancelled Mar 12, 2022 · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 14282 · Built 2019Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 IIEngine 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.

At approximately 1401 local time, the aircraft departed geraci private airpark in lutz, FL. Enroute to sarasota airport (srq) at approximately 1415, during cruise flight, 100KTS, 700-800 ft AGL, 22 inches mp, the aircraft lost power. The pilot initiated autorotation, southbound over south 50th street, Tampa FL. The skids touched down in the middle lane of the south bound side of south 50th street. The right skid appears to have collapsed during landing. The aircraft skid approximately 154 feet, coming to a stop in the FAR right lane in front of bond auto sales, 539 south 50th street. The rotor blades, still spinning, made contact with a telephone pole in front of the location where it came to a stop. Sections of the rotorblades broke off as upon impact with the telephone pole. A piece of rotor blade traveled in the air, approximately 256 feet, crossed palm river road, and went through the windshield of a motor vehicle that was in the FAR right lane of the north bound side of south 50th street at the south entrance of seven eleven convenient store, 702 south 50th street. A passenger in the front seat of the vehicle was killed at the scene.

The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot and passenger went to the hospital to be checked and reported no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 1401 LOCAL TIME, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GERACI PRIVATE AIRPARK IN LUTZ, FL. ENROUTE TO SARASOTA AIRPORT (SRQ) AT APPROXIMATELY 1415, DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, 100KTS, 700-800 FT AGL, 22 INCHES MP, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED AUTOROTATION, SOUTHBOUND OVER SOUTH 50TH STREET, TAMPA FL. THE SKIDS TOUCHED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE SOUTH BOUND SIDE OF SOUTH 50TH STREET. THE RIGHT SKID APPEARS TO HAVE COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT SKID APPROXIMATELY 154 FEET, COMING TO A STOP IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE IN FRONT OF BOND AUTO SALES, 539 SOUTH 50TH STREET. THE ROTOR BLADES, STILL SPINNING, MADE CONTACT WITH A TELEPHONE POLE IN FRONT OF THE LOCATION WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP. SECTIONS OF THE ROTORBLADES BROKE OFF AS UPON IMPACT WITH THE TELEPHONE POLE. A PIECE OF ROTOR BLADE TRAVELED IN THE AIR, APPROXIMATELY 256 FEET, CROSSED PALM RIVER ROAD, AND WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF A MOTOR VEHICLE THAT WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE OF THE NORTH BOUND SIDE OF SOUTH 50TH STREET AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE OF SEVEN ELEVEN CONVENIENT STORE, 702 SOUTH 50TH STREET. A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE WAS KILLED AT THE SCENE.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE CHECKED AND REPORTED NO INJURIES.

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 ERA19FA142Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportTampa, FLContamination of and an inadequate bond between the two layers of fabric comprising the helicopter engine's air induction inlet duct, which resulted a partial collapse of the duct, obstruction of the airflow into the engine, and a total loss of engine power.Apr 4, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4046J · 1

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

Incident 20190331002279ICruise/Level Flight · Lutz, FLThe pilot departed (kapf) enroute to (kcty), while in cruise flight, 1000 feet AGL, 110 KTS, after approximately one hour ten minutes, the pilot experienced a complete engine failure. The pilot entered autorotation and landed on a private, grass airstrip…Mar 31, 2019 · No damage