- Date
- October 19, 2004, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vega Baja, PR
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2314TRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20041019028179A
- Case key
- 60466
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 select a suitable landing area resulting in a tangled skid with vegetation during an aborted landing and subsequent dynamic roll over.
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 stated that he selected a landing spot in an open field to drop off his passenger. After the approach to the landing area, he hovered about 5 feet and descended slowly to make contact with the ground. Due to the height of the vegetation in the area he could not see the actual ground. Once the helicopter got close to the vegetation, the passenger believed the helicopter had come to a full landing and disconnected his seat belt. The helicopter continued to sink and the pilot decided to abort the landing by raising the collective. One of the skids became tangled on the vegetation, causing a dynamic roll over.
Factual narrative
On October 19, 2004, about 1630, Atlantic standard time, a Robinson R-22, N2314T registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, had a dynamic roll over during landing in a open field near Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot reported minor injuries, one passenger received serious injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico, earlier that day, about 1330.
The pilot stated that he selected a landing spot in an open field to drop off his passenger. After the approach to the landing area, he hovered about 5 feet and descended slowly to make contact with the ground. Due to the height of the vegetation in the area he could not see the actual ground. Once the helicopter got close to the vegetation, the passenger believed the helicopter had come to a full landing and disconnected his seat belt. The helicopter continued to sink and the pilot decided to abort the landing by raising the collective. One of the skids became tangled on the vegetation, causing a dynamic roll over.
The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the helicopter or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2314T
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Universal Development Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TJIG · Vega Baja, PR
- Airport
- TJIG
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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,091 total · 492 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- SJU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2314T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.