- Date
- March 21, 2009, 21:15 local (Mar 22, 2009, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Richmond, VA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2360MRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 73528
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
A loss of engine power due to the pilot inadvertently shutting down the engine.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot stated that, upon reaching cruising altitude, he reached to pull the trim adjustment knob but inadvertently pulled the mixture control knob, which caused the engine to shutdown. The pilot immediately lowered the collective lever and entered an autorotation. He attempted to restart the engine using the throttle and the starter but did not advance the mixture control from the idle cut off position. As he flared the helicopter to land, the windscreen contacted powerlines, and then the helicopter struck an automobile on a roadway. The helicopter sustained damage to the windscreen, main rotor blades, and tailboom. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the Robinson R-22 states that "If the mixture control is inadvertently pulled in flight, engine stoppage will result. To avoid pulling the wrong control, always reach around left side of cyclic to actuate lateral trim."
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Robinson R-22 helicopter stated that upon reaching cruising altitude, he reached to pull the trim adjustment knob, but inadvertently pulled the mixture control knob, which caused the engine to shutdown. The pilot immediately lowered the collective lever and entered an autorotation. He attempted to restart the engine, using the throttle and the starter, but did not advance the mixture control from the idle cut off position. As he flared the helicopter to land, the windscreen contacted powerlines, and then the helicopter struck an automobile on a roadway. The helicopter sustained damage to the windscreen, main rotor blades, and tailboom. The pilot operating handbook for the Robinson R-22 helicopter states that "If the mixture control is inadvertently pulled in flight, engine stoppage will result. To avoid pulling the wrong control, always reach around left side of cyclic to actuate lateral trim."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2360M
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2340
- Airframe hours
- 2,952
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul D Jackson
- Registered owner
- Paul D Jackson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 17, 2008 · 98 hours before
- Departed
- RIC · Richmond, VA
- Destination
- Victoria, VA
- Airport
- RIC · Richmond International Airport
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
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 901 total · 747 in this make and model · 851 as pilot in command · 66 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Observed at
- RIC, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 324 KB in all.