# Accident 20220722007649A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Waterloo, IL, July 22, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2022, 09:21 local time
- Place: Waterloo, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 2WCG
- Location: 38.3359° N, 90.1498° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3359&lon=-90.1498&mi=10
- Aircraft: N442JE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442JE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA333) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220722007649A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 22, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 0921L, A ROBINSON-44 (R-44) HELICOPTER, N442JE, MADE A HARD LANDING IN A FIELD LOCATED NEAR WATERLOO, IL, LATITUDE: 38°20?24? N AND LONGITUDE: 90°10?09.2?W.  THE HARD LANDING RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, BUT WITH NO INJURY TO THE PILOT.

THE PIC RELATED HOW ON THE PASS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE CYCLIC HAD, FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, FELT HEAVY AS THOUGH THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HAD BEEN TURNED OFF.  THE PIC STATED HE CHECKED TO ENSURE THE SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN ACCIDENTLY TURNED OFF, IT WAS STILL ON, BUT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONCE AGAIN REGAINED FULL NORMAL CONTROL SO HE CONTINUED WITH THE OPERATION.  AT THE END OF HIS FIRST PASS HE PERFORMED AN ?AG TURN? AND WAS SETTING BACK UP TO INTERCEPT HIS LINE TO CONTINUE SPRAYING WHEN THE HEAVINESS CAME BACK.    AT THAT POINT, WHILE IN A DECENT TO OPERATING ALTITUDE, THE PIC RELATED THE CONTROLS BECAME SO HEAVY THEY FELT AS THOUGH THEY HAD HIT A WALL. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE DECENT BUT NOT ABLE TO ARREST THE DECENT.  THE AIRCRAFT SLOWLY DESCENDED THROUGH THE CORN AND APPEARED TO HOVER JUST OFF THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 80 YARDS.  THE BELLY TANK UPROOTED ALL THE CORN IN N442JE?S PATH.  THE COPILOT SKID TOUCHED DOWN, BROKE OFF AND FLIPPED N442JE ONTO ITS NOSE AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT 180°.  WITH THE VIOLENT AND ABRUPT STOPPAGE AND SPIN, THE TAIL CONE SEPARATED AND WAS SLUNG AWAY FROM N442JE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN22LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA333), Jul 22, 2022: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N442JE), Waterloo, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The malfunction of the flight controls for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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