- Date
- June 28, 2006, 18:00 local (Jun 29, 2006, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N52EPRobinson R-44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20060628013579A
- Case key
- 64011
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's failure to maintain directional control following a loss of tail rotor effectiveness while in a downwind hover.
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 lost tail rotor authority control of the helicopter during a downwind hovering turn. The helicopter was parked facing a downwind direction and the pilot estimated the winds at 13 knots. The pilot positioned the helicopter to a hover about 4-5 feet above ground level (agl) and initiated a left pedal turn into the wind. He felt the tail rotor start to shudder, and the helicopter began yawing to the left. The helicopter then entered a spin and started to gain altitude. After three spins, the pilot executed a hovering autorotation at 15 feet agl. The left skid contacted the ground first. The helicopter then nosed forward about 30 degrees, and the main rotor blades hit the ground. The pilot applied aft cyclic, and the helicopter touched down level on both skids. The helicopter came to rest on a sloped area between the taxiway and runway. The pilot stated that the helicopter and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
On June 28, 2006, about 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R-44, N52EP, lost tail rotor authority and impacted terrain at Fresno Chandler Executive Airport, Fresno, California. The pilot/owner was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed Fresno about 1800. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
In a written report the pilot stated that the helicopter was parked heading in a downwind direction prior to takeoff. He estimated the tailwind to be gusting from 13 knots. He positioned the helicopter into a downwind hover about 4-5 feet above ground level (agl) and initiated a left pedal turn into the wind. He felt the tail rotor start to shutter, and the helicopter began yawing to the left. The helicopter then entered a spin to the right and started to gain altitude. After three spins, the pilot executed a hover autorotation at 15 feet agl. The left skid contacted the ground first. The helicopter then nosed forward about 30 degrees, and the main rotor blades hit the ground. The pilot applied aft cyclic, and the helicopter touched down level on both skids. The helicopter came to rest on a sloped area between the taxiway and runway.
The pilot stated that the helicopter and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52EP
- Reported as
- Robinson R-44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0077
- Airframe hours
- 1,805
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-540-F1B5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2006
- Departed
- FCH · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- FCH · Fresno, CA
- Airport
- FCH · Fresno Chandler Executive, runway 12, 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2006
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 309 total · 100 in this make and model · 309 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- FAT, 6 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.