20201018018629A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA · Winder, GA · October 18, 2020

Date: October 18, 2020 · 10:59 local
Place: Winder, GA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N566BC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA024
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 168 total153 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N566BCRegistration cancelled Jan 19, 2021 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 4358 · Built 2008 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming O-360-J2AReciprocating

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.

The pilot did report that after preforming 4 laps in the pattern for runway 05 at Winder barrow county airport (wdr). On the 5th lap he performed a touch and go. During takeoff extending his upwind leg, turning to a left crosswind, a noise was heard sounding like metal to metal, the helicopter jerked. Reacting to this the pilot looked for a clearing realizing that he was losing power. He had two choices seeing a house and a clearing (open pasture land) off to the left. The pilot executed a autorotation to the left attempting to clear the trees, but settled into the tree line slowing his forward speed, nosing over going straight down through the trees impacting the ground.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DID REPORT THAT AFTER PREFORMING 4 LAPS IN THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 05 AT WINDER BARROW COUNTY AIRPORT (WDR). ON THE 5TH LAP HE PERFORMED A TOUCH AND GO. DURING TAKEOFF EXTENDING HIS UPWIND LEG, TURNING TO A LEFT CROSSWIND, A NOISE WAS HEARD SOUNDING LIKE METAL TO METAL, THE HELICOPTER JERKED. REACTING TO THIS THE PILOT LOOKED FOR A CLEARING REALIZING THAT HE WAS LOSING POWER. HE HAD TWO CHOICES SEEING A HOUSE AND A CLEARING (OPEN PASTURE LAND) OFF TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT EXECUTED A AUTOROTATION TO THE LEFT ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR THE TREES, BUT SETTLED INTO THE TREE LINE SLOWING HIS FORWARD SPEED, NOSING OVER GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THROUGH THE TREES IMPACTING THE GROUND.

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 ERA21LA024Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportWinder, GAMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the engine cooling fan attachment bolts, leading to vibration of the cooling fan, the overextension of the tension belt actuator, the failure of the drive system vee-belts, and the loss of power to the rotor…Oct 18, 2020 · Substantial damage