# NTSB DFW08LA140: Robinson Helicopter R22 Marine, N8316D, Austin, TX, May 10, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 10, 2008, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Austin, TX - Coordinates: 30.19, -97.668609 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1900&lon=-97.6686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 8, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 68002 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW08LA140 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68002/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08LA140 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in a loss of control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 R22 MARINER, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062052/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7640115), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and pilot rated passenger were operating a single-engine helicopter equipped with pontoons over a lake for the purpose of photographing recreational boats. Several witnesses observed the helicopter flying erratic and at a low altitude over the boats before it impacted the water and rolled inverted. The pilot stated that they were tracking a boat approximately 100 feet above the ground level. The boat was traveling to the south and they were flying to the north with a tail wind. He said that he executed a right hand turn and noticed that the rotor RPM had begun to decrease, the rotor RPM horn came on, and the governor light began to flash. The pilot immediately began to execute a low rotor RPM recovery by lowering the collective, increasing engine power, and continuing to turn into the wind but was unable to recover RPM before hitting the water. The helicopter hit the water and bounced back up with a bit of a wave. When the helicopter came back down, a wake from one of the boats they had been tracking washed over the floats, which caused the helicopter to roll to the front and flip over. The governor controller was examined and no anomalies were noted. ## Factual narrative On May 10, 2008, at 1215 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 Mariner, N8316D, a single-engine helicopter, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the water while maneuvering over Lake Travis, in Austin, Texas. The certified commercial pilot and the pilot rated passenger were not injured. The helicopter was registered to a private company and operated by Boat Pix, West Palm Beach, Florida. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas, around 1030, and was destined for Lake Travis. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Several witnesses observed the helicopter flying at a low altitude over the boats on Lake Travis. One witness said, "The Boatpix helicopter was flying around another boat and then headed our way. He traveled directly over our boat and veered to the starboard. He was about 50 feet off the water - when he passed he rose up then circled behind us. When he passed the boat his angle of attack was pretty steep. He took a hard right bank turn - came down low and back at us - following from our stern - came down to the water and bounced the pontoons onto the water. It started to dig in the water and I turned to shield myself." The next time the witness saw the helicopter it was upside down in the water. Another witness was driving a ski boat when he first noticed the helicopter performing what he described as "aeronautic maneuvers." He said, "These [maneuvers] appeared to be dangerous because they were 6-8 feet off the water, then they would pull up sharply and bank right." The witness then observed the helicopter fly directly over him followed shortly after by the sound of a "slapping" noise. He then saw the helicopter's two pontoons floating in the water. In a written statement, the pilot stated that he and the pilot rated passenger were tracking a boat approximately 100 feet above the ground level. The boat was traveling to the south and they were flying to the north with a tail wind. He said, "I executed a right hand turn and noticed that the rotor RPM had begun to decrease, the rotor RPM horn came on, and my governor light began to flash. I immediately began to execute a low rotor RPM recovery by lowering the collective, rolling on more throttle, and continuing to turn into the wind. I tired to recover the RPM but noticed we would not recover RPM before hitting the water." The pilot told the pilot rated passenger that they were not going to recover and he attempted to use the remaining rotor RPM to slow the descent. The helicopter hit the water and bounced back up with a bit of a wave. When the helicopter came back down, a wake from one of the boats they had been tracking washed over the floats, which caused the helicopter to roll to the front and flip over. The pilot rated passenger provided a similar account of the accident sequence in a separate written statement. The helicopter was towed to the shore and recovered. The governor controller (part number: B286-2, serial number 1415) was removed and sent to Robinson Helicopter Company where it was examined under the supervision of the Safety Board on May 21, 2008. When examined, there was no visible external damage to the unit. It was installed on a calibrated test bench and subjected to the acceptance test protocol in Robinson Helicopter Company Process Specification RPS-59. The controller assembly met all acceptance criteria for a new or factory overhauled until, which applies to a controller returned from the field. The controller was not unsealed for a visual inspection of the internal components because it met the above acceptance criteria. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and certified flight instructor rating for helicopters. His last second class FAA medical was issued on March 10, 2008. He reported a total of 895.4 hours, of which 871 hours were in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. Weather at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, about 23 miles west of Lake Travis, at 1153, was reported as wind from 190 degrees at 12 knots gusting 17 knots, visibility two miles and haze, clouds broken at 1,800 feet, overcast clouds at 2,200 feet, temperature 79 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 41 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.75 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8316D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8316D), registered now, S/N 2481M, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22 MARINE - Registry model: [Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner) (registry code 7640115) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2481M - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Boat Pix - Registered owner: Marinephoto Helicopter LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: AUS, Austin, TX - Destination: Lake Travis, TX - Airport: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 5, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 895 total, 871 in this make and model, 668 as pilot in command, 257 in the last 90 days, 116 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 32; injuries: none; private; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 20, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 199 total, 183 in this make and model, 122 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 12 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: AUS, 23 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 20080510836329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080510836329A), May 10, 2008: Robsin R22, Lakeway, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 10, 2008, N8631D was operating over lake travis performing aerial photography of boats. Both pilots reported overating the aircaft during the day… ## Other investigations on N8316D (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 CEN13CA575](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA575), Aug 18, 2013: Robinson Helicopter R22 Mariner (N8316D), Lee's Summit, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper flare while performing an autorotation and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action to correct the high sink rate, which resulted in a hard landing. 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.