Robinson R22 N9021J

Summary

On 27 January 1983 at about 21:15 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N9021J was involved in an accident near Zapata, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 January 1983 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Zapata, Texas, United States

Coordinates

26.8901, -99.2603

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N9021J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zapata → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW83FA100

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED IN AN AREA OF DRY GRASS, 18 TO 28 INCHES TALL. THE PLT STATED THAT WITHIN 30 SEC AFTER A NORMAL APPROACH & TOUCHDOWN, THE PASSENGER NOTICED A FIRE AS HE WAS EXITING THE ACFT. THE PILOT THEN ROLLED THE THROTTLE ON IN AN ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. AS HE APPLIED THROTTLE, THE PLT SAW FLAMES COMING UP THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT. BOTH OCCUPANTS THEN ABANDONED THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED APRX 12 MIN LATER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE HOTTEST POINT OF THE FIRE WAS IN THE AREA OF THE GASCOLATOR. DURING THE FIRE, THE GASCOLATOR HAD MELTED ALLOWING FUEL TO DRAIN ONTO THE GROUND UNDER THE ENGINE. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO LEAKS. THE EXHAUST TAILPIPE OPENING WAS 16 INCHES OFF THE GROUND. WHEN THE R22 THROTTLE IS ROLLED ON, THE ACCELERATOR PUMP INJECTS FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR & UNUSED FUEL IS THEN PUMPED OVERBOARD. ON 2/14/83, THE ACFT MANUAL WAS CHANGED TO WARN OF DANGERS OF LANDING IN TALL GRASS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.