- Date
- June 26, 1995, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Windemere, FL
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N869BDRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950626014949A
- Case key
- 37845
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 inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot-in-command in that he failed to drain all the water from the fuel system, resulting in an total loss of power. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the autorotation.
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 helicopter experienced a total loss of power during cruise flight. The pilot executed an autorotation and noted children playing in the field that he had selected. He deviated away from the field and landed hard. Examination of the helicopter fuel system revealed a large quantity of water.
Factual narrative
On June 26, 1995, about 1300 eastern daylight time, N869BD, a Robinson R22, operated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as a 14 CFR Part 91 local surveillance flight, crashed in Windemere, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the pilot and observer received serious injuries. The flight had originated about 15 minutes earlier.
The pilot stated and witnesses reported the engine failed and the pilot executed an autorotation to the edge of a clearing and struck trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed over 1 gallon of water in the fuel tank and water in the carburetor bowl and gascolator.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N869BD
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 869
- Airframe hours
- 3,561
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-2BC, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Fl Dept Of Law Enforcement
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 31, 1995 · 62 hours before
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
- 54
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 18,179 total · 5,900 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 13,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORL, 15 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.