# NTSB CEN19LA245: Robinson R22, N334DC, Water Valley, TX, July 8, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 8, 2019, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Water Valley, TX - Coordinates: 31.834999, -100.686668 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8350&lon=-100.6867&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99811 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA245 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99811/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99811 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA245 ## Probable cause The loss of helicopter performance for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Emergency descent initiated](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md) - [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger of the helicopter were conducting a wildlife survey when the engine and main rotor began to lose rpm. The pilot lowered the collective, rolled the engine throttle control to full power, and attempted to regain the engine and main rotor rpm without success. The pilot conducted a forced landing to an opening in the canopy of vegetation below the helicopter, during which the helicopter rolled over onto its left side, resulting in the separation of the tail boom and substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor. An examination of the helicopter and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; and the reason for the loss of performance could not be determined with the available information. ## Factual narrative On July 8, 2019, about 1730 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 II Beta helicopter, N334DC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Water Valley, Texas. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight . The pilot and passenger were conducting a wildlife survey. About 1.5 hours into the flight, at an altitude between 50 and 100 ft above the top of the canyon and an airspeed of about 35 mph, the "engine began to bog" and the both the engine and main rotor lost rpm.The pilot stated that he lowered the collective, rolled the engine throttle control to full rpm, and attempted to regain the engine and main rotor rpm. The rpm continued to decay so the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing to an opening in the vegetation below the helicopter. During the descent into the vegetation the main rotor blades struck the trees. The helicopter rolled over on its left side during the ground impact. The tail boom separated from the fuselage and the main rotor blades and fuselage were substantially damaged. An examination of the helicopter and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations prior to the accident. The tail rotor blade fracture signatures were consistent with separation of the blades under power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N334DC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N334DC-2022-02-05), registration cancelled 2022-02-05, S/N 3511, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R22 (BETA) - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta) (registry code 7640110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3511 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 5810.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 J2A 124 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: Trans-Pecos Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Trans-Pecos Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 2, 2019 - Departed: Water Valley, TX - Destination: Water Valley, TX - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 10, 2017; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,153 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 161 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: KSJT, 31 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 20190708009449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190708009449A), Jul 8, 2019: Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, Water Valley, TX, Substantial damage. On July 8, 2019 at approximately 1730 hours CDT, N334DC, a Robinson R22 beta helicopter crashed during a flight over a canyon. The helicopter rolled over on… ## Other investigations on N334DC (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 WPR11CA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA264), Jun 18, 2011: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (N334DC), Prescott, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during taxi, resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a subsequent… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99811. 6.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11357399&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20(Pilot)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11375438&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversations_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Examination summary statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11376477&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Examination%20CEN19LA245-Rel.pdf - Accident report photographs (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 650 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11390528&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 235 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11375900&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Retention-Release-of-Wreckage-Form%20-%20CEN19LA245_Redacted-Rel.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.