Sikorsky S-55B N443FD
12 October 2012 · Yorktown, New York, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 12 October 2012 at about 22:00 local time, a Sikorsky S-55B registered N443FD, operated by Sparta Rotors, was involved in an accident near Yorktown, New York, 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 22:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Yorktown, New York, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.2208, -73.7869
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky S-55B
- Registration
- N443FD
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Sparta Rotors
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Ferry
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Newton → Stratford
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- ERA13LA018
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to perform a downwind precautionary landing and the helicopter’s resultant settling with power and impact with terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During cruise flight, the pilot heard an unusual noise and, after circling while attempting to determine the source of the noise, he elected to perform a precautionary landing to a nearby farm field. During the approach to land with a quartering tailwind, the pilot used the collective to arrest the descent rate; however, after having used the full travel of the collective with no appreciable reduction in the descent rate, the helicopter landed in the soft ground, all four landing gear sank, and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. A nearby weather recording station recorded the wind about the time of the accident as being from the north-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. According to the pilot, the helicopter was moving forward at a speed of about 10 knots at touchdown. Considering the tailwind and the helicopter's low airspeed, it is likely that the airspeed slowed to the point where the helicopter lost translational lift and began to settle with power.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Sikorsky S-55B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jul 2011 | Sikorsky S-55B | Chelan, Washington, United States | Golden Wings Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jul 2011 | Sikorsky S-55B | Brewster, Washington, United States | Golden Wings | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 1988 | Sikorsky S-55B | Valdosta, Georgia, United States | Cecil Grant Register | No injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 1987 | Sikorsky S-55B | De Quincy, Louisiana, United States | Dennis W. Rogers | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Apr 1985 | Sikorsky S-55B | Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1984 | Sikorsky S-55B | Gilbertsville, Kentucky, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 2012 | Socata TB 10 | Shirley, New York, United States | McElroy David J | Fatal | 2 |
| 20 Apr 2012 | Beechcraft A36 | Yorktown, New York, United States | Ehrenzeller Mark | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Aug 2012 | Fleet FLEET 16B | Bayport, New York, United States | Martin Stephen S | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 2012 | Cessna T206H | Glens Falls, New York, United States | JM Aviation Holding LLC | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 2012 | Schleicher ASW-19 | Dansville, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 29 Apr 2012 | Piper PA-18-150 | Eaton, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |