- Date
- January 15, 1994, 22:20 local (Jan 16, 1994, 02:20 UTC)
- Place
- Gurabo, PR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N193HCRobinson R22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940115048809A
- Case key
- 37481
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
Complete separation of one of the two vee-belts, and complete separation of 1/2 of the remaining belt. Contributing to the accident was the dark night condition and unsuitable terrain encountered during the autorotative landing.
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 during cruise flight during a dark night over unsuitable terrain at 1,800 feet MSL, the clutch light flickered momentarily then remained illuminated. He waited for 5 seconds then pulled the clutch circuit breaker and initiated an emergency descent for a forced landing. When the flight was about 50 feet above ground level (AGL) the pilot initiated the cyclic flare. Then when the flight was about 10 feet AGL, he pulled collective control but the helicopter landed hard. Examination of the helicopter revealed that one of the two vee- belts had completely separated and 1/2 of the remaining belt had also completely separated. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the tension of the belts was checked about 42 hours before. The vee-belts were installed when the helicopter was manufactured about 442 hours before the accident.
Factual narrative
On January 15, 1994, about 2220 Atlantic standard time, a Robinson R22 Beta, N193HC, registered to Initiative Trade Corporation, was substantially damaged during an autorotative landing near Gurabo, Puerto Rico, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 aerial advertising flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 2115, from the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The pilot stated that during cruise flight during the dark night at 1,800 feet mean sea level, he smelled something burning and the clutch warning light flickered momentarily, then remained illuminated. He waited for 5 seconds then pulled the clutch circuit breaker and initiated an emergency descent for an autorotative landing. When the flight was about 50 feet above ground level he initiated a cyclic flare and about 10 feet above ground level, pulled collective pitch control for landing. The helicopter landed hard on unsuitable terrain.
Examination of the helicopter revealed that one of the two vee-belts completely separated and 1/2 of the remaining belt had completely separated. Only 1/2 of one belt remained. According to the maintenance records, the vee-belt tension was checked about 42 hours earlier. The vee-belts had accumulated about 442 hours since new.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N193HC
- Reported as
- Robinson R22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1924
- Airframe hours
- 442
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Initiative Trade Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 5, 1993 · 27 hours before
- Destination
- SIG · San Juan, PR
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,475 total · 760 in this make and model · 1,225 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJU, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 1995, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 473 KB 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.