Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N899GB
Location: Orlando, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA163
Date & Time: 04/20/2017, 1030 EDT
Registration: N899GB
Aircraft: ROBINSON R44
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Miscellaneous/other
Injuries: 3 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Executive/Corporate - Sightseeing
On April 20, 2017, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 II, N899GB, was substantially damaged during an autorotative landing near Orlando, Florida. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated about 5 minutes earlier from Air Orlando Heliport (2FD7), Orlando, Florida. The revenue sightseeing flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
During the 1st flight of the day while returning to 2FD7, the pilot stated that he was flying southbound and descending out of 1,000 feet, when at 600 feet, he heard and felt a loud "pop" that was accompanied by a yaw to the right, shaking and vibration, with engine roughness. At that time the rotor tachometer had, "dropped to zero", while the engine tachometer was "at about 60-70%." He immediately entered an autorotative descent to a median between two roads, but did not recall his airspeed during the maneuver, and landed, "…a little hard…." After touchdown the helicopter began to roll forward, which he attempted to correct with aft cyclic input. Once the helicopter was stable on the ground, he secured the engine, and then evacuated the passengers after the main rotor had stopped.
Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed the aft section of the tailboom was partially detached from the helicopter, and the leading edge of the main rotor blades exhibited slight damage. In the area of the tailboom separation point, the tail rotor drive shaft was fractured and the tail rotor push-pull tube assembly was deformed. Further examination of the tailboom revealed the arm associated with the damper assembly was bent about 90° and fractured. The damper remained connected to the support which was torn and deformed. No deformation was noted internally to structural members adjacent to the damper area. No other damage to the tail rotor drive system was noted. Examination of the engine compartment revealed one magnet assembly part number (P/N) B570-1 associated with the main rotor tachometer indicating system was separated from the Yoke Assembly, P/N C908-1, and was not recovered. The other magnet assembly remained secured to the yoke assembly. The yoke assembly was not damaged, but there was evidence of slight damage to 1 sender assembly, consistent with the magnet assembly separation. The lowest numeric marking on the dual tachometer associated with the main rotor is 50, with 2 graduated lines beneath.
The engine was removed from the helicopter and taken to a repair facility where it was examined and then placed on a test stand and operated twice. The first and second engine runs lasted 15 and 25 minutes, respectively with no discrepancies noted. The engine was operated a third time, and about 10 minutes into the engine run, the left magneto failed the magneto check. The defective magneto was removed, and a replacement magneto was installed. The engine was started and operated normally.
Robinson Helicopter Company personnel reported there have been instances of a magnet separating from a magnet assembly which prompted issuance of Service Bulletin (SB) 86; however, they report there have not been any previous instances of the magnet assembly separating from the yoke assembly.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, a caution in the emergency procedures section related to power failure specifies to not apply aft cyclic during touchdown or ground slide to prevent possible blade strike to the tailcone.
According to the maintenance manual, the sensor for the main rotor tachometer is an electronic Hall Effect device which senses passage of two magnets attached to main rotor gearbox input yoke assembly. Robinson personnel reported that with only 1 magnet installed, the main rotor tachometer rpm would indicate about 50% of the actual rotor rpm.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 36, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/04/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/30/2016
Flight Time: 1315 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1093 hours (Total, this make and model), 1243 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 202 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 109 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: ROBINSON
Registration: N899GB
Model/Series: R44 II
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2006
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 11190
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/17/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 40 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1142.9 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: IO-540-AE1A5
Registered Owner: AERO SPECIALTY FINANCE LLC
Rated Power: 260 hp
Operator: Air Florida Helicopter Charters, Inc.
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MCO, 96 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1053 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 50°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3700 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 30000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots / 17 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 100°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / Unknown
Altimeter Setting: 30.17 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 16°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Orlando, FL (2DF7)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Orlando, FL (2DF7)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1025 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 None
Latitude, Longitude: 28.450000, -81.470556 (est)
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA163
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, April 20, 2017 in Orlando, FL
Aircraft: ROBINSON R44, registration: N899GB
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On April 20, 2017, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 II, N899GB, registered to Aero Specialty Finance, LLC, and operated by Air Florida Helicopter Charters, Inc., was substantially damaged during a hard landing near Orlando, Florida. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated about 5 minutes earlier from Air Orlando Heliport (2DF7), Orlando, Florida. The revenue sightseeing flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot stated that while flying southbound at 600 ft, he heard and felt a loud "pop" that was accompanied by a yaw to the right, vibration, and engine roughness. He entered an autorotative descent to the median between two roads, and upon touchdown, the helicopter began to roll forward. He applied aft cyclic input, and the main rotor blades contacted the tailboom. Once the helicopter was stable on the ground, he secured it, and then had the passengers evacuate after the main rotor blades came to rest.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A tour helicopter carrying three people lost power in midair Thursday morning and made an emergency landing near a busy Orlando intersection, officials said.
The pilot, who has been flying for 11 years, said the helicopter was 600 feet in the air when he heard a loud popping noise and the chopper lost power.
"I know the pilot said he heard a loud pop, and then he lost power and he brought the helicopter down to a safe landing," Orlando Fire District Chief Curtis Elsis said.
The pilot landed the helicopter in a grassy median next to South Kirkman Road, just north of Sand Lake Road, according to Orlando Fire District Chief Curtis Elsis.
In the 911 call released by Orlando County Fire Rescue the dispatcher had trouble understanding where the helicopter landed.
“So they’re on the landing pad? But they did a rough landing?” the dispatcher asked.
“No they’re not on a landing pad,” the caller said. “There is no landing pad, no nothing.”
No injuries were reported.
"Everyone is doing perfectly fine," Elsis said. "The pilot did a fantastic job."
A pilot and two tourists visiting from England were inside the helicopter at the time of the landing.
The tail of the helicopter snapped during the hard landing.
A stretch of Kirkman Road was closed from Sand Lake Road to Carrier Drive. It reopened a short time later.
The FAA will investigate.
The helicopter is operated by Air Florida Helicopter Charters Inc., located 2 and a half miles away on International Drive. Officials there said the pilot made the right call.
"We are extremely happy and grateful that thanks to our pilot's fast reaction and excellent professional skills nobody was hurt today," Lyuba Mavrodieva of Air Florida Helicopter Charters Inc. said in a statement. "Our customers were brought back to our location in good spirits and health."
Air Florida Helicopters Inc. stopped tours Thursday but it plans to reopen Friday.
Story and video: http://www.clickorlando.com
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