Robinson R44 II N1UB

Summary

On 27 May 2012 at about 11:30 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N1UB, operated by Green Aircraft Leasing, Inc., was involved in an accident near Peoria, Illinois, United States. 3 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.

Date

27 May 2012 at 11:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Peoria, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Mount Hawley Auxiliary Airport (3MY)

Coordinates

40.7953, -89.6133

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N1UB

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Green Aircraft Leasing, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Peoria → Joliet

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA325

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s loss of control while hover-taxiing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was repositioning the helicopter from the ramp area to a taxiway from where he intended to depart. He stated that after hover-taxiing about 30 yards to the east-northeast he made a left turn toward the north. He reported that, during this turn, the helicopter encountered a wind gust that elevated the tail boom to the point where the forward portion of the landing skids made contact with the tarmac. The helicopter landed hard after the pilot lowered the collective in response to the loss of control. The tail boom, tail rotor, and main rotor impacted the tarmac during the hard landing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. A postaccident review of the available weather reports established that the prevailing wind was from 190 degrees at 5 knots. No wind gusts were reported during the 1-hour time period surrounding the accident. In the absence of any appreciable wind gusts, the pilot should have been able to maintain control of the helicopter while hover-taxiing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.