# Accident 20220810007559A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Palmer, AK, August 10, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 10, 2022, 16:17 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Airport: Warren "Bud" Woods Palmer Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 4ZDA
- Location: 61.4382° N, 148.7473° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4382&lon=-148.7473&mi=10
- Aircraft: N987WH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N987WH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,207 total, 664 in this make and model, 204 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA299](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA299) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220810007559A

## Narrative

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

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE POWER MISMANAGEMENT WITH AN STEEP APPROACH ANGLE AND INAPPROPRIATE AIRSPEED TOO FAST TO MAKE THE INTENDED POINT OF LANDING (RIDGELINE LZ). THE R44 WAS OPERATING WITHIN GROSS WEIGHT AND CG BUT THAT WAS AT THE VERY UPPER LIMITS OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS AT CURRENT WEIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AND ALTITUDE (2360LBS, 20C, 5600MSL). THE PILOT HAD FLOWN TO THAT LZ THREE TIMES THAT DAY EARLIER IN THE MORNING UNDER COOLER TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS ADDING TO THE HUMAN FACTORS SIDE OF THE ACCIDENT. ON THE EVENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT MENTIONED HE FELT RUSHED TO IMPRESS HIS FAMILY MEMBERS ABOARD AND PERFORMED A TIGHTER TURN THAN NORMAL COMING AROUND TO LAND. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE APPROACH PATH WAS A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIDGELINE EFFECTIVELY GIVING NO WAY OUT IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE ON FINAL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE FLARED TO ARREST HIS APPROACH SPEED BECAUSE HE WAS COMING IN TOO FAST. AT WHICH TIME HE DISCOVERED HE WAS ABOUT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWED THROUGH ETL, THE PILOT RAISED COLLECTIVE TO GAIN ALTITUDE BUT WITH LITTLE TO NO POWER AVAILABLE THE PILOT LOST ROTOR RPM AND SETTLED ONTO THE HILL WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON IT?S RIGHT SIDE. AN INTERESTING COMMENT BY THE PILOT WAS THAT HE STATED HE ROLLED THE HELICOPTER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON PURPOSE AS TO NOT FALL OFF THE CLIFF.

## 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 WPR22LA299](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA299), Aug 11, 2022: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N987WH), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control during an off-field landing, which resulted in loss of control and an impact with terrain.

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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