Robinson R44 II N7535S
13 April 2005 · Woodward, Oklahoma, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 April 2005 at about 16:30 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N7535S was involved in an accident near Woodward, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 16:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Woodward, Oklahoma, United States
- Nearest airport
- West Woodward Airport (WWR)
- Coordinates
- 36.4367, -99.5208
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 II
- Registration
- N7535S
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Purcell → Woodward
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DFW05CA072
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the pilot's encounter with adverse weather conditions.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After touching down on a portable helipad in a single-engine helicopter, the 10,500-hour pilot started "cool down procedures." After "sufficient time", the pilot disengaged the clutch, waited 30-45 seconds, and then turned the engine off. With the cyclic locked in the center position, the clutch light went out, and the rotor was winding down slowly. As the pilot reached back to apply the rotor brake, "a strong wind gust caused the rotor to lift and strike the tail boom. At the time of rotor blade impact, the engine was turned off and the clutch was totally disengaged." The reported wind at the time of the accident was from 350 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots..
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2005 | Robinson R44 | Lucerne Valley, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Feb 2005 | Robinson R44 | Lake Arrowhead, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Nov 2005 | Robinson R44 | Bourne, Massachusetts, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 2005 | Robinson R44 | Slieve Aughty Mountains, Co Galway, Ireland, Ireland | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 9 Sep 2005 | Robinson R44 II | Jackson, Wyoming, United States | Upper Limit Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Robinson R44 | St. Cloud, Florida, United States | David K. Jowers | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 2005 | Cessna 152 | Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States | Oklahoma State University Flight Center | No injuries | - |
| 29 May 2005 | Debus/Mountain/Bowes DEBUS-CASST-SNOSHOO | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | Steven L Mountain | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Jan 2005 | Nolen LITE SQUARED | Holdenville, Oklahoma, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Feb 2005 | Robinson R22 | Owasso, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Apr 2005 | Beechcraft J35 | Bartlesville, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 31 May 2005 | Luscombe 8A | Wagoner, Oklahoma, United States | Ron Ezell | No injuries | - |