Robinson R-22A N8511Z

Summary

On 10 May 1986 at about 16:24 local time, a Robinson R-22A registered N8511Z was involved in an accident near East Fishkill, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 May 1986 at 16:24

Classification

Accident

Location

East Fishkill, New York, United States

Coordinates

41.5793, -73.7993

Aircraft

Robinson R-22A

Registration

N8511Z

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Poughkeepsie → Danbury

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC86FA127

1 person died.

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER DEPARTURE, ANOTHER PILOT ADVISED N8511Z THAT A COWL DOOR WAS OPEN. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT. DURING THE VFR FLIGHT, WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD POP & OBSERVED THE R22 HELICOPTER BREAK APART IN FLIGHT. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED A LIGHT AIRPLANE TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE SAME TIME. THE TAIL BOOM WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE HELICOPTER FOUND ALONG THE 584' LONG WRECKAGE PATH. THE MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED FROM ITS DRIVE SHAFT & THERE WERE MULTIPLE STRIKES TO THE TAIL BOOM. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD COMPONENTS & EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DIVERGING & STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM, RESULTING IN THE IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT COLLECTIVE CONTROL TUBE REVEALED A FATIGUE FRACTURE IN THE INBOARD WALL OF THE TUBE WHERE IT IS NORMALLY LIGHTLY LOADED. THE EVIDENCE DID NOT SUPPORT A CONCLUSION THAT THIS WAS RELATED TO LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR CONTROL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.