# NTSB CEN20CA316: Robinson R44, N771GB, Hebron, NE, July 27, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 27, 2020, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Hebron, NE - Coordinates: 40.151943, -97.584442 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1519&lon=-97.5844&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 101690 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA316 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101690/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101690 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA316 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight to sump the fuel tanks prior to flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R44, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640120), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the initial climb out for the aerial application flight, he noticed a power loss and initiated an autorotation into a cornfield. During the landing, the fuselage, tail rotor and horizontal/vertical stabilizers were substantially damaged. Fuel drained from the helicopter's gascolator during recovery contained a large quantity of water. Fuel storage for the spray operation consisted of a primary (filtered) and a secondary (unfiltered) storage tank. When fuel was needed from the secondary storage tank, it would be transferred to the primary storage tank to ensure filtering. On the evening prior to the accident, over 4 inches of rainfall occurred at the airport. The operator thought a fuel cap may have been left off the secondary storage tank inadvertently, which may have allowed water to enter the tank. On the day of the accident, due to a pump failure in the primary storage tank, fuel was drawn directly from the secondary (unfiltered) storage tank. The operator stated that rushing contributed to loading unfiltered fuel into the helicopter. The pilot did not sump the helicopter's fuel tanks as required by the flight manual during preflight and/or after refueling, which would have identified the water contamination. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N771GB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N771GB-2022-09-03), registration cancelled 2022-09-03, S/N 0778, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Robinson R44 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R44](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (registry code 7640120) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0778 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 1465 - Engines: Lycoming O-540 SERIES 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Rotorwings Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Rotorwings Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 12, 2020 - Departed: HJH, Hebron, NE - Destination: HJH, Hebron, NE - Airport: HJH, Hebron Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: minor; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 26, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,880 total, 450 in this make and model, 2,840 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,400 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KHJH ## 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 20200727010669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200727010669A), Jul 27, 2020: Robinson Helicopter R44, Hebron, NE, Substantial damage. On July 27, 2020 at approximately 15:30 central daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter was substantially damaged due to impact with terrain shortly after… ## 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=101690. 4.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11354472&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo of helicopter (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11353266&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo-Rel.pdf - Photo of fuel drained from gascolator (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11372362&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20of%20Fuel%20Drained%20from%20Helicopter-Rel.pdf - Excerpts of R44 flight manual (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11375890&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20R44%20Flight%20Manual-Rel.pdf - Correspondence with FAA (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11384610&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Correspondence%20with%20FAA_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.