20210422009659A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 · Forkston, PA · April 22, 2021

Date: April 22, 2021 · 21:04 local
Place: Forkston, PA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4055N
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA191
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-F1B5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,285 total92 in this make and model32 in the last 90 days

N4055NRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44S/N 2619 · Built 2020 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.

The accident flight departed allentown queen city municipal airport (xll) at approximately 20:10 local time enroute to bradford county airport (N27). Preliminary radar track data showed the aircraft flying northwest at a cruise altitude between 3,000 to 4,000 feet MSL. At 21:04, the radar track data shows the aircraft starting a right turning descent, with radar track data being lost at 21:04:30.

The aircraft struck trees and terrain vertically and came to rest at a ground altitude of approximately 2170 feet. The aircraft wreckage was contained with-in a 30 foot diameter, showing little forward momentum.

Upon impact, the main rotor gear set and main rotor separated from the main gearbox and came to rest forward of the cabin. The tail boom separated aft of the engine with the tail rotor being located nearby. The cabin was consumed by post accident fire. All the major components were accounted for.

As the FAA filed it

THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED ALLENTOWN QUEEN CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (XLL) AT APPROXIMATELY 20:10 LOCAL TIME ENROUTE TO BRADFORD COUNTY AIRPORT (N27). PRELIMINARY RADAR TRACK DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING NORTHWEST AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE BETWEEN 3,000 TO 4,000 FEET MSL. AT 21:04, THE RADAR TRACK DATA SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT STARTING A RIGHT TURNING DESCENT, WITH RADAR TRACK DATA BEING LOST AT 21:04:30.

THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND TERRAIN VERTICALLY AND CAME TO REST AT A GROUND ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 2170 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED WITH-IN A 30 FOOT DIAMETER, SHOWING LITTLE FORWARD MOMENTUM.

UPON IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR GEAR SET AND MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN GEARBOX AND CAME TO REST FORWARD OF THE CABIN. THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED AFT OF THE ENGINE WITH THE TAIL ROTOR BEING LOCATED NEARBY. THE CABIN WAS CONSUMED BY POST ACCIDENT FIRE. ALL THE MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR.

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 ERA21LA191Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportForkston, PAThe pilot’s inadequate preflight weather planning, which resulted in an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions at night, spatial disorientation, and collision with terrain.Apr 23, 2021 · Destroyed