- Date
- August 27, 1993, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Bethalto, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9071SRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930827031629A
- Case key
- 9296
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot-in-command's not maintaining rotor RPM.
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 was practicing takeoffs and landings. He reported that rotor RPM dropped and he conducted an autorotational landing into a crop field adjacent to the airport. Examination of the helicopter after the accident failed to reveal any pre-existing anomalies.
Factual narrative
On August 27, 1993, at 1745 central daylight time, a Robinson R22, N9071S, registered to Charles E. Duchek of Pacific, Missouri, and operated by a commercial rated pilot experienced a loss of rotor RPM and impacted the terrain while turning final to runway 17 at Alton, Illinois. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed Alton, Illinois, exact time unknown.
The pilot stated that on turning from base to final for runway 17, he noted a low rotor RPM indication and initiated an autorotation landing adjacent to the runway in a crop field.
A port accident examination conducted by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors failed to reveal any pre-accident anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9071S
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0195
- Airframe hours
- 2,792
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Duchek, Charles E.
- Registered owner
- Duchek, Charles E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 30, 1993 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- ALN
- Destination
- ALN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ALN · Saint Louis Regional, runway 17, asphalt
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
- 51
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,080 total · 57 in this make and model · 1,235 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ALN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.