# NTSB CEN12LA573: Robinson Helicopter R44 II, N144DZ, Belgium, WI, August 10, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2012, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Belgium, WI - Coordinates: 43.524723, -87.800277 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5247&lon=-87.8003&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 84811 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA573 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84811/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84811 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA573 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Terrain: sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 270 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640122), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was trying to land the helicopter in a confined area, between trees, a house, and a beach wall. The helicopter touched down on a slight hump that was concealed by grass and started to slide backwards. The pilot pulled up on the collective, and the helicopter lifted off again rapidly. The pilot tried to maneuver the helicopter to remain within and land again in the confined area. When the pilot landed again, the helicopter settled down on the front tips of the skids, which then broke at the fuselage down arm attach point. During the postaccident examination of the helicopter, the pilot noted that one of the main rotor blades sustained impact damage consistent with debris being blown up into the rotor during the landing. The pilot did not list any mechanical malfunctions associated with the helicopter during the accident flight. Nearby wind was reported to be out of 350 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2012, about 1600 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company model R44 II, N144DZ, had a hard landing on a private landing area near Belgium, Wisconsin. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter’s main rotor blades sustained substantial damage when debris, associated with the landing, impacted the rotor blades. The helicopter was registered to Chicago Helicopter Express LLC, and was operated by Sun Aero Helicopters under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from the Waukesha County Airport, near Waukesha, Wisconsin, at 1530. According to the pilot’s accident report, he was trying to land the helicopter in a confined area, which contained a hump concealed by grass. The helicopter landed on the hump and started to slide backwards. The pilot pulled up on the collective. The helicopter lifted rapidly and the pilot corrected left and right to keep the helicopter within the confined area. The pilot elected to set the helicopter straight down again. The helicopter settled on the front tips of the skids. The skids broke at the point where the down arm meets the skids. During the postflight inspection of the helicopter, the pilot noted that one of the main rotor blades sustained impact damage consistent with debris being blown up into the rotor during the landing. The pilot did not list any mechanical malfunctions associated with the helicopter associated during the accident flight. At 1653, the recorded weather at the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was: Wind 350 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 21 degrees C; dew point 10 degrees C; altimeter 29.96 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N144DZ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N144DZ), registered now, S/N 10100, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (registry code 7640122) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 10100 - Airframe hours: 1120 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sun Aero Helicopters - Registered owner: Chicago Helicopter Express LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 16, 2012 - Departed: UES, Waukesha, WI - Destination: Belgium, WI - Airport: Private ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; private; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 22, 2012; seat: right; flight hours: 93 total, 73 in this make and model, 28 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 12 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: SBM, 15 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120810018149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120810018149A), Aug 10, 2012: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Belgium, WI, Substantial damage. Pilot experienced a hard landing during which both skid toes failed and impacted the rotor system causing substantial damage to the blades. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84811. 413 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 413 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387088&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.