# NTSB ERA09LA284: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta, N456SH, Winter Haven, FL, May 7, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2009, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC) - Place: Winter Haven, FL - Coordinates: 28.083333, -81.76667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0833&lon=-81.7667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 73795 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA284 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73795/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73795 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA284 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7640110), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that during the downwind leg for a practice autorotative landing while flying at 600 to 625 feet mean sea level with the governor on, he applied carburetor heat and five seconds later he perceived by sound that the engine lost power. He turned onto base leg, and attempted to restart the engine but allowed the main rotor rpm to decrease to 87 percent. He stopped his restart attempts and initiated descent for an autorotative landing. He maintained 65 knots during the descent and when the flight was at 40 feet with obstacles ahead (mobile homes), he intentionally slowed the helicopter. At 20 feet above ground level he pulled collective which activated the main rotor rpm warning and resulted in a hard landing. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed the throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat control rigging were correct. No contaminants of the fuel system were noted. Following recovery of the helicopter with the main rotor blades removed, an FAA inspector observed the engine start and operate to idle rpm. The conditions (temperature and dew point) were favorable for serious carburetor icing at only glide power. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2009, about 0800 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N456SH, registered to November Alpha LLC, operated by a private individual, was landed hard during an autorotative landing near Winter Haven, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Winter Haven’s Gilbert Airport (GIF), Winter Haven, Florida. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the certificated private pilot was not injured. The flight originated from GIF about 0745. The pilot stated that after takeoff he remained in the traffic pattern for runway 11 and executed practice autorotative landings with a power recovery. During the downwind leg for another practice autorotative landing while flying at 600 to 625 feet mean sea level with the governor on, he applied carburetor heat and five seconds later he perceived by sound that the engine quit. He turned onto base leg, and attempted to restart the engine but allowed the main rotor rpm to decrease to 87 percent. He stopped his restart attempts and initiated descent for an autorotative landing. He maintained 65 knots during the descent and when the flight was at 40 feet with obstacles ahead (mobile homes), he intentionally slowed the helicopter. At 20 feet above ground level he pulled collective which activated the main rotor rpm warning and resulted in a hard landing. Examination of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector revealed the helicopter landed 100 yards short of the mobile homes. A portion of the tailboom was separated and the main rotor blades were bent and wrinkled. The throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat control rigging was found to be correct. The fuel gascolator and bowl were clean. Following recovery of the helicopter with the main rotor blades removed, an FAA inspector observed the engine start and operate to idle rpm. According to a FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, based on the temperature and dew point (75 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit respectively), the conditions were favorable for serious carburetor icing while at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N456SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N456SH-2011-12-13), registration cancelled 2011-12-13, S/N 4027, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER 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-J2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (registry code 42314, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4027 - Airframe hours: 2480 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Richard H. Bock - Registered owner: November Alpha LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 2, 2009 - Departed: GIF, Winter Haven, FL - Destination: GIF, Winter Haven, FL - Airport: GIF, Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 11, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 257 total, 141 in this make and model, 191 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: GIF ## 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 20090507006389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090507006389A), May 7, 2009: Robsin R22BETA, Winter Haven, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On 5-7-09, around 0800 EDT, [privacy data omitted] was operating N456SH, a Robinson R-22 in the vicinity of Winter Haven airport. The pilot stated, on… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73795. 750 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 353 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40313899&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 2, .PDF, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40313900&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40313901&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 4, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40313902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin Concerning Carburetor Icing (item 5, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316501&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Federal%20Aviation%20Administration%20Special%20Airworthiness%20Information%20Bulletin%20Concerning%20Carburetor%20Icing-Master.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.