# NTSB MIA99LA181: Robinson R-44, N49669, Sevierville, TN, June 11, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 11, 1999, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Sevierville, TN - Coordinates: 35.779567, -83.610633 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7796&lon=-83.6106&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46539 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46539/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46539 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA181 ## Probable cause The induced fatigue fracture of a component in the engine-to-transmission rotor drive system resulting in a disconnection of the drive system during cruise flight caused by inadequate inspection processes by the manufacturer and the subsequent autorotative emergency descent and forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - rotor drive system,engine to transmission drive - cracked - inadequate substantiation process, manufacturer (cause) - rotor drive system,engine to transmission drive - fatigue - rotor drive system,engine to transmission drive - disconnected - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - performed, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot reported that about 10 minutes into his sightseeing flight, at 400 to 500 feet of altitude, in cruise flight, he heard a noise similar to a shotgun blast and experienced vibration, uncommanded yaw, and low rotor and engine rpm. He regained control and conducted a successful autorotation. Postcrash examination of the helicopter revealed drive train, framework, and fuel tank shrapnel damage originating from a failed transmission forward main driveshaft yoke. Examination of the failed yoke by the NTSB Materials Laboratory revealed a cracked weld that originated during manufacture. ## Factual narrative On June 11, 1999, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-44, N49669, registered to Highway 66 Aviation, LLC, dba Scenic Helicopter Tours, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 sightseeing flight, crashed into a field near Sevierville, Tennessee, after sustaining a main and tail rotor drive failure while in cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The flight originated about 10 minutes before the flight. According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 400 to 500 feet agl, when he heard a loud "pop" and the helicopter vibrated and yawed without a control input. Shortly thereafter, he got a low rotor warning horn and light, both main and tail rotor tachometer indications went to zero, and he commenced an autorotation. He landed in a tobacco field, and applied the rotor brake, which had no effect. Examination by FAA personnel revealed no damage to the external fuselage; however, removal of the rear cowling revealed (1) the forward yoke of the main drive shaft at the transmission end had failed and was in several pieces, (2) the tubular framework to the left and below the main drive shaft had been mangled and was in two pieces, (3) a 4-inch by 2-inch puncture of the left fuel tank was present, (4) the double drive belts had been displaced as was their drive pulleys, (5) the tail rotor drive shaft was sheared and its forward drive shaft yoke had failed, (6) the tail rotor control tube rod ends had failed. The Robinson Helicopter Factory arranged for shipping the wreckage for NTSB disassembly examination at their Torrance, California, facilities. Examination of the helicopter's rotor drive systems revealed that the sequence of failure events began with engine-to-transmission drive shaft excessive end play at the transmission end. The component that supports the drive shaft in that location is the forward main rotor drive yoke, part number C908-1. The component was subsequently removed and shipped to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, D.C. for further examination. According to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, the yoke failure was an induced fatigue fracture originating from a defective inertia weld at fabrication. Paint found within the crack confirmed the defect existed since manufacture, and probably occurred as a result of a straightening operation. Although the component is subjected to magnetic particle inspection after straightening and before finishing, plating, and painting, this defective component had been allowed to be installed. The report from the NTSB Materials Laboratory is included under, "Materials Laboratory Factual Report". ## Aircraft - Registration: N49669 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Robinson R-44 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 562 - Airframe hours: 279 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-F1B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Hwy 66 Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 19, 1999, 80 hours before - Departed: SEVIERVILLE, TN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 9,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 8,700 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TYS, 24 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990611007029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990611007029A), Jun 11, 1999: Robsin R44, Sevierville, TN, Substantial damage. 199 Robinson R-44 helicopter experienced main rotor and tail rotor failures in flight and sustained substantial damage, other circumstances are unknown. (From… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 1999, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=46539. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (item 1, .PDF, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445377&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 2, .PDF, 714 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies-FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40114308&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.