- Date
- August 11, 2011, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N62JFRobinson R22
- Defining event
- Approach: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 22, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110811017369A
- Case key
- 81460
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 private pilot's incorrect manipulation of the engine mixture control which resulted in an inadvertent engine shutdown.
Findings · 2
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 two certificated rotorcraft pilots were conducting a ferry flight. According to both pilots, the helicopter was on approach to land for a refueling stop when the airline transport pilot flying asked the private pilot to apply carburetor heat. The private pilot inadvertently pulled-out the engine mixture control with the mixture control guard, which resulted in an immediate total loss of engine power. The helicopter was at an altitude between 300 to 400 feet, when the airline transport pilot entered an autorotation, while the private pilot attempted to restart the engine. The engine did not restart before the helicopter struck trees, a fence, and then nosed over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the airframe and both the main and tail rotor drive systems. Both pilots reported there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
The two certificated rotorcraft pilots were conducting a ferry flight. According to both pilots, the helicopter was on approach to land for a refueling stop when the airline transport pilot flying asked the private pilot to apply carburetor heat. The private pilot inadvertently pulled-out the engine mixture control with the mixture control guard, which resulted in an immediate total loss of engine power. The helicopter was at an altitude between 300 to 400 feet, and the airline transport pilot entered an autorotation, while the private pilot attempted to restart the engine. The engine did not restart before the helicopter struck trees, a fence, and then nosed over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the airframe and both the main and tail rotor drive systems. Both pilots reported there were no mechanical malfunctions during the flight. The private pilot reported 220 hours of total flight experience, which included about 54 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62JF
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3922
- Airframe hours
- 1,061
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CRG · Jacksonville, FL
- Destination
- X21 · Titusville, FL
- Airport
- X21 · Arthur Dunn Air Park
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,365 total · 1,177 in this make and model · 2,285 as pilot in command · 194 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 23, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 53 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- TTS, 7 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.