Robinson R22 N9073S

Summary

On 15 December 1990 at about 16:30 local time, a Robinson R22 registered N9073S, operated by DR. Charles F. Samson, was involved in an accident near West Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 December 1990 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

West Kingston, Rhode Island, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Robinson R22

Registration

N9073S

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

DR. Charles F. Samson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC91LA049

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE MALFUNCTION OF THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM AN OPEN FIELD AND ESTABLISHING A CLIMB, THE LEFT PASSENGER TAIL ROTOR PEDAL RETAINING CLIP BECAME DISLODGED RESTRICTING PEDAL MOVEMENT IN THE ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER COULD MOVE THE RETAINING CLIP AS NEEDED TO ALLOW SOME TRAVEL IN THE PEDALS AND HE THOUGHT A SAFE LANDING COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. ON FINAL APPROACH HE PUSHED HIS PEDALS AND THEY ONCE AGAIN JAMMED CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND TILT LEFT. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN BUT CONTINUED TO TURN RIGHT AND THEN ROLLED. POST-CRASH INVESTIGATIONS ACHIEVED BY THE FAA SHOWED THAT BY APPLYING MINIMAL UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE TAIL ROTOR PEDAL, IT WOULD DISENGAGE AND ROTATE TO CAUSE MISALIGMENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.