Robinson R22 BETA N80546

Summary

On 14 October 1994 at about 14:20 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N80546 was involved in an accident near Eunice, Louisiana, 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

14 October 1994 at 14:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Eunice, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

30.4896, -92.4103

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N80546

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Ville Platte

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA016

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT, THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE WEATHER CONDITION, WHICH WAS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A DOCTOR TOOK OFF FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING WESTBOUND ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE HOSPITAL. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER TURNED RIGHT TOWARD A FIELD; HOWEVER, THE WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WENT OUT OF CONTROL, AND THEN CRASHED IN A DITCH NEXT TO A ROAD. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES; HOWEVER, THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 63 AND 59 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING. TOXICOLOGY TESTS WERE POSITIVE FOR FLUOXETINE AND NORFLUOXETINE (PROZAC). TESTS OF A BLOOD SPECIMEN (CLOT) SHOWED 0.2 MG/KG OF FLUOXETINE AND 0.3 MG/KG OF NORFLUOXETINE; TESTS OF A LIVER SPECIMEN SHOWED 6.2 MG/KG FLUOXETINE AND 15 MG/KG NORFLUOXETINE. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, PROZAC, IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT AND WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.