Sunday, June 04, 2017

Robinson R22, N601HA, registered to A-Z Leasing LLC and operated by Lakeshore Helicopter LLC: Accident occurred June 04, 2017 at Kenosha Regional Airport (KENW), Kenosha County, Wisconsin

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Robinson Helicopters; Torrance, California
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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/N601HA

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Kenosha, WI
Accident Number: CEN17LA210
Date & Time: 06/04/2017, 1630 CDT
Registration: N601HA
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 4, 2017, about 1630 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 helicopter, N601HA, impacted the ramp area during landing at Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), Kenosha, Wisconsin. The commercial rated pilot sustained serious injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to A-Z Leasing LLC, and operated by Lakeshore Helicopter LLC, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight departed at an unknown time and was attempting to land at the time of the accident.

A witness who had just landed at ENW and taxied in toward the ramp reported that the helicopter was near the ground with the rotor blades turning. The helicopter climbed quickly to about 25 to 30 ft above ground level (agl). While airborne the helicopter began to wobble and appeared unsteady. The wobble became more pronounced, then the helicopter descended and impacted the pavement on its right side.

Two other witnesses, who were in another airplane that had just landed at ENW, reported that they observed a piece of the helicopter separate and fly though the air. The helicopter made erratic movements, rotated, and impacted the ground.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 77, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/12/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/27/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 770.8 hours (Total, all aircraft), 10 hours (Total, this make and model) 

The pilot, age 77, was airlifted to a local hospital. He was unable to provide a statement and according to family members he does not have any recollection of the accident flight.

The pilot's third class medical certificate was not valid at the time of accident and had expired on December 1, 2016.

A review of the pilot's logbook entries since April 2014 revealed that he had accumulated 10 hours in the R22 helicopter. The rest of the logbooks were not recovered during the investigation.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY
Registration: N601HA
Model/Series: R22
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 1981
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 0107
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/24/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1370 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 8856 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-320-B2C
Registered Owner: A-Z LEASING, LLC
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KENW, 743 ft msl
Observation Time: 1642 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 274°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 7500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots/ 15 knots, 340°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.75 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Kenosha, WI (ENW)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Kenosha, WI (ENW)
Type of Clearance: Unknown
Departure Time:  CDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: KENOSHA RGNL (ENW)
Runway Surface Type: Concrete
Airport Elevation: 742 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 42.594444, -87.926667 (est)

The helicopter impacted the ramp area pavement on it's right side and came to rest in the same location. The empennage separated from the aft end of the tail boom and the tail rotor gear box was separated from it; they were both found to the south of the helicopter. A single tail rotor blade and its separated tip were found to the north of the helicopter. A yellow, wooden helicopter landing dolly was found on the ramp about 50 ft to the west. Ground impact marks and rotor blade strikes were observed in the pavement.

A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuselage exhibited damage on the front and right side, the empennage was detached from the end of the tailboom. The empennage remained mostly intact and exhibited damage on the horizontal and upper vertical stabilizers. There was extensive damage to the lower and forward portion of the vertical stabilizer. The tail skid stinger was bent upward. There was scoring visible on the lower surface perpendicular to the helicopter centerline. A tail rotor blade was separated near the tail rotor hub and the blade tip was also separated. The blade tip exhibited significant longitudinal scoring on the outboard edge. The other tail rotor blade sustained leading edge damage and remained attached to the rotor hub.

The collective was full up and the twist grip was positioned ON, the mixture control knob was found full forward, and the carburetor heat knob was extended about 1/2 inch. The throttle arm attached to the carburetor was in the full ON position. Each of the three controls were intact and functional through their full ranges of travel. The flight controls were separated in multiple locations, but there was no evidence of preimpact malfunctions or failures. The fuel system was intact with no breaches or fuel leaks noted. The fuel gascolator bowl contained a blue liquid with an odor of aviation gasoline and the fuel screen was free on contaminants. 

Yellow paint transfer was noted on the helicopter chin, windshield bow, lower vertical stabilizer, and tail skid stinger. The helicopter dolly that the pilot reportedly attempted to land on was painted yellow.


The engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A small amount of 100LL fuel was added to the fuel tank to facilitate an engine functional test. The drive belts were removed, and the engine was run up to 104% rpm. The engine operated normally during the functional test run.

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA210
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 04, 2017 in Kenosha, WI
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22, registration: N601HA
Injuries: 1 Serious.

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 June 4, 2017, about 1630 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 helicopter, N601HA, impacted pavement after an attempted takeoff at Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), Kenosha, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to A-Z Leasing, LLC., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed. 

Witnesses reported that the helicopter was departing from the ramp and climbed about 20 to 30 ft above ground level (agl). The helicopter descended and impacted the pavement on its right side. A nearby helicopter pilot ran to the wreckage and turned off the fuel valve and battery switch. The pilot was airlifted to a local hospital.

An postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the tail rotor assembly separated from the tailcone. One tail rotor blade was separated and the other blade sustained damage.

The helicopter was retained for further examination.




A helicopter pilot suffered critical injuries Sunday after his aircraft crash at about 4:30 p.m. at Kenosha Regional Airport.

The pilot, an unidentified male, was the only one on board, Kenosha Fire Department Chief Charles Leipzig said. A Flight for Life medical helicopter was called to transport the man, most likely to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Leipzig said.

The pilot was coming back from a flight and started to hover and lose control of the aircraft at about 35 feet, Leipzig said.

The pilot was trapped in the helicopter for about two to three minutes after impact, he said.

According to Sgt. Leo Viola with the Kenosha Police Department, a witness saw the helicopter wobble and lose control.

“We had just landed,” Loren Thompson, another pilot in the area, said.

Thompson said he saw a piece of metal fly off while the the pilot tried to wrestle the helicopter to the ground. Then the side of the helicopter hit the ground.

That piece of metal could have been the tail rotor, which is responsible for the stability of the aircraft, Thompson said.

Thompson compared the crash to a YouTube video.

“You look up and there it is,” he said. “Three seconds and it was over.”

No smoke or flames were present during the crash, he added.

“I’m glad he’s alive. It looked bad,” Thompson said.

The registered owner of the helicopter is A-Z Leasing LLC in Kenosha, according to FAA registry of the craft. It was manufactured with Robinson Helicopter Co. with a certification date of Aug. 24, 2015.  

The investigation has been turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Original article can be found here: http://www.kenoshanews.com





KENOSHA — Kenosha police tell FOX6 News Flight for Life was dispatched to the Kenosha Airport for a helicopter crash that injured a lone male victim on Sunday, June 4th.

The Kenosha Regional Airport is located on 52nd Street near 88th Avenue.

It happened around 4:30 p.m.

Police said the victim was taken to a hospital in Milwaukee, and the Federal Aviation Administration is handling the investigation.

Original article can be found here: http://fox6now.com





KENOSHA, Wis. —  Flight for Life responded to a helicopter crash at the Kenosha Regional Airport, according to police.

A spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Administration says one person was aboard the Robinson R-22 helicopter when it crashed around 4:28pm.

No word yet on what caused the crash or the condition of the pilot.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating and the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified.

Original article can be found here: http://www.wisn.com

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