20190820016829A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Cypress Island, WA · August 20, 2019

Date: August 20, 2019 · 19:05 local
Place: Cypress Island, WA
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7186P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA509
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 3
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,000 total1,100 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N7186PRegistration cancelled Aug 7, 2021 · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 0611 · Built 1999 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 Engine modelLycoming O-540-F1B5Reciprocating

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.

While operating low over the waters off Cypress Island, the helicopter main rotor struck a tree limb projecting out from the nearby shore. As a result, the helicopter crashed in approximately four feet of water just off the beach on the north side of the Island. The pilot and all passenger were able to escape the aircraft. The pilot and one passenger had no more than minor injuries while the second passenger suffered a bone fracture, other than a simple fracture.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE OPERATING LOW OVER THE WATERS OFF CYPRESS ISLAND, THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR STRUCK A TREE LIMB PROJECTING OUT FROM THE NEARBY SHORE. AS A RESULT, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET OF WATER JUST OFF THE BEACH ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND. THE PILOT AND ALL PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER HAD NO MORE THAN MINOR INJURIES WHILE THE SECOND PASSENGER SUFFERED A BONE FRACTURE, OTHER THAN A SIMPLE FRACTURE.

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 GAA19CA509Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportCypress Island, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a tree while maneuvering at a low altitude.Aug 21, 2019 · Substantial damage