- Date
- October 29, 2009, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Juan Batista, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N144RFRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 75682
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 adequate clearance from wires while maneuvering and his subsequent improper use of the collective control, which resulted in the main rotor contacting the tail boom.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot stated that he was landing in an open field on his property to attend a meeting. Upon arrival at the field, he performed an aerial survey of his intended landing site checking for wires or obstacles. He also evaluated the weather, which was clear with a calm wind. After landing, he noted that the group of people he was meeting with was on the other side of a ditch about 50 yards away, so he decided to hover-taxi closer to their location. As the helicopter traversed over the ditch, the pilot surveyed the area looking for wires and obstacles. Seeing none, he proceeded to make a turn to land. As the pilot initiated the turn, he saw power lines about 40 feet in front of and above the helicopter. He made a quick right turn to avoid the power lines, "but made contact with the tail rotor…." Not knowing the damage to the tail rotor, he lowered the collective and landed as quickly as possible from an altitude of about 8 feet. The pilot stated that, in his urgency to shut down the helicopter, he "dropped the collective very fast," which he stated caused the main rotor blades to impact the tail boom. The pilot also stated that he got out of his normal routine of performing a pre-landing inspection of his intended landing area when he decided to hover-taxi to an alternate location. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was landing in an open field on his property to attend a meeting. Upon arrival at the field, he performed an aerial survey of his intended landing site checking for wires or obstacles. He also evaluated the weather, which was clear with a calm wind. After landing, he noted that the group of people he was meeting with was on the other side of a ditch about 50 yards away, so he decided to hover-taxi closer to their location. As the helicopter traversed over the ditch, the pilot surveyed the area looking for wires and obstacles. Seeing none, he proceeded to make a turn to land. As the pilot initiated the turn, he saw power lines about 40 feet in front of and above the helicopter. He made a quick right turn to avoid the power lines, "but made contact with the tail rotor…." Not knowing the damage to the tail rotor, he lowered the collective and landed as quickly as possible from an altitude of about 8 feet. The pilot stated that in his urgency to shut down the helicopter, he "dropped the collective very fast," which he stated caused the main rotor blades to impact the tail boom. In the section titled "Recommendation (How could this accident/incident have been prevented?"), the pilot stated that he got out of his normal routine of performing a pre landing inspection of his intended landing area when he decided to hover-taxi to an alternate location. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N144RF
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1223
- Airframe hours
- 219
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rio Farms
- Registered owner
- Rio Farms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2009 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- CIC · King City, CA
- Destination
- PVT · San Juan Batista, CA
- Airport
- PVT · Private Property
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 16, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,700 total · 300 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.