Robinson R22 BETA N731BA

Summary

On 25 August 2003 at about 15:45 local time, a Robinson R22 BETA registered N731BA was involved in an accident near Ozona, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2003 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Ozona, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.6167, -101.0169

Aircraft

Robinson R22 BETA

Registration

N731BA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ozona → Ozona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA203

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's decision to hover out of ground effect, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the flight, the pilot was following a hog up the side of a rocky ridgeline at approximately 25 feel agl. As the helicopter started to overtake the hog, the pilot pulled the helicopter into a hover to keep from over flying it. The pilot stated the helicopter "hit some dirty air and lost some tail rotor effectiveness." The pilot then "added left pedal and increased power, but the helicopter didn't respond." The pilot further stated he "had no altitude, or airspeed to make a recovery." Subsequently, the helicopter spun to the right and settled into the side of the ridge coming to rest on its left side. According to FAA's Advisory Circular 90-95, loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) "is a critical, low-speed aerodynamic flight characteristic that can result in an uncommanded rapid yaw rate which does not subside of its own accord and, if not corrected, can result in the loss of aircraft control. LTE is not related to a maintenance malfunction and may occur in varying degrees in all single main rotor helicopters in some of the conditions conducive to LTE include a high power setting, low airspeed, and a tailwind or left crosswind."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.