- Date
- November 23, 1982, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Alabaster, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N90218Robinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821123061599A
- Case key
- 69708
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, he noticed the rpm's began falling. He stated that he increased the throttle and lowered the collective, but the rpm's continued to decrease until the low RPM warning horn came on. An autorotative landing was made. During touchdown, while the helicopter still had forward speed, the skids dug into the ground and the tail moved up into the path of the main rotor blades. The helicopter then turned and came to rest on its side. An examination revealed the air-filter cartridge was covered with oil, dirt and other contaminents; the 4 v-drive belts were from different manufacturers and were of different lengths; the engine drive actuator (pulley) valleys were deeply grooved and worn, the exhaust muffler had pieces of the flare tube floating loose inside the muffler. During a test run, the engine operated normally. A teardown of the transmission revealed no preimpact failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90218
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0034
- Airframe hours
- 460
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Larry Cottingham
- Registered owner
- Larry Cottingham
- Departed
- Alabaster, AL
- Destination
- C · Hueytown, AL
- Airport
- Shelby County
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 576 total · 210 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 154 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N90218 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.