# NTSB CEN17LA267: Robinson Helicopter R44, N7224U, Ireland, IN, July 8, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 8, 2017, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC) - Place: Ireland, IN - Coordinates: 38.414722, -86.999443 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4147&lon=-86.9994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Indianapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95562 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA267 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95562/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95562 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA267 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to apply the proper procedures to recover from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of control during an aerial application turn. ## 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, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of policy/procedure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 191 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: prop/rotor parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting an agricultural aerial application flight. The pilot reported that the helicopter made an uncommanded right yaw during a turn. The pilot stated that he applied full left pedal to counter the yaw and that the helicopter centered briefly, but then the right yaw started again, which continued as the helicopter descended and impacted the ground. Because the helicopter was likely operating out of ground effect at a high power setting, the uncommanded right yaw was likely the result of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). According to Federal Aviation Administration guidance, the procedures to recover from LTE are early detection followed by applying forward cyclic to regain airspeed, applying right (not left) pedal to maintain rotor rpm, and reducing collective to reduce the high power demand on the tail rotor. On the basis of the available information, the pilot lost control of the helicopter when he responded improperly to the LTE by adding left pedal rather than by applying forward cyclic and right pedal and reducing collective. ## Factual narrative On July 8, 2017, about 1040 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N7224U, impacted the ground following a loss of control while conducting an aerial application flight near Ireland, Indiana. Following the impact with the ground, a fire erupted and the helicopter was destroyed. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by JR Aviation , Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from an unknown location at an unknown time. The pilot reported that he was spraying a field and when making a spray turn he felt a vibration or shuddering of the whole helicopter accompanied by an uncommanded right yaw. He applied full left pedal and the helicopter centered briefly, but then the right yaw started again and continued to impact. The pilot extricated himself and crawled about 20 ft from the wreckage when a fire erupted and consumed the helicopter. When asked if he felt the event was related to a mechanical or an aerodynamic event, he replied that he thought it was an aerodynamic event. He commented that he was a flight instructor and that he had never felt the kind of vibration that occurred during the accident flight. Examination of the helicopter was limited due to the extensive fire damage, but no anomalies could be found with components that were able to be examined. Federal Aviation Administration's Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21A, contains a section titled "Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE)" which states: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) or an unanticipated yaw is defined as an uncommanded, rapid yaw towards the advancing blade which does not subside of its own accord. It can result in the loss of the aircraft if left unchecked. It is very important for pilots to understand that LTE is caused by an aerodynamic interaction between the main rotor and tail rotor and not caused from a mechanical failure. Some helicopter types are more likely to encounter LTE due to the normal certification thrust produced by having a tail rotor that, although meeting certification standards, is not always able to produce the additional thrust demanded by the pilot. FAA-H-8083-21A further stated that early detection followed by application of forward cyclic, right pedal, not left, and reducing collective to reduce the high power demand is the key to recovery. The weather conditions reported at a nearby airport included variable wind at 4 kts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7224U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7224U-2017-12-12), registration cancelled 2017-12-12, S/N 1442, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (registry code 7640120) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540F1 SERIE](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540f1-serie) (registry code 41531, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1442 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 2217 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-F1B5 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: J R Aviation Inc - Registered owner: J R Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 28, 2017 - Departed: Ireland, IN - Destination: Ireland, IN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 1,470 total, 932 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: HNB, 10 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 20170708011499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170708011499A), Jul 8, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44, Jasper, IN, Destroyed. On July 8, 2017 at approximately 10:35 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-44, N7224U was destroyed following collision with the ground while conducting… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95562. 587 KB in all. - Excerpt from HAA-H-8083-21A (item 1, .PDF, 476 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464618&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20HAA-H-8083-21A-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464619&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464620&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.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.