20230709010329A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Marble Falls, TX · July 9, 2023

Date: July 9, 2023 · 11:20 local
Place: Marble Falls, TX
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N163RK
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA263
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,034 total1,600 in this make and model94 in the last 90 days

N163RKRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R44 IIS/N 11120 · Built 2006 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R44 II Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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 performing powerline inspection at 350 feet above ground level the engine failed. During the decent the tail rotor struck teh power line resulting in the outer 2 inches being removed form each blade. The vertical stabilizer struck the ground causing crushing damag and the skids were substantially spread. Post examination revealed the fuel was contaminated with water and an unknown substance red in color.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE PERFORMING POWERLINE INSPECTION AT 350 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE ENGINE FAILED. DURING THE DECENT THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK TEH POWER LINE RESULTING IN THE OUTER 2 INCHES BEING REMOVED FORM EACH BLADE. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING CRUSHING DAMAG AND THE SKIDS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY SPREAD. POST EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND AN UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE RED IN COLOR.

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 WPR23LA263Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMarble Falls, TXA total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination from an unknown source.Jul 9, 2023 · Substantial damage