Robinson R44 II N4246Z

Summary

On 24 August 2014 at about 13:50 local time, a Robinson R44 II registered N4246Z was involved in an accident near Pahrump, Nevada, United States. One person was on board and 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

24 August 2014 at 13:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Pahrump, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

36.2181, -116.1753

Aircraft

Robinson R44 II

Registration

N4246Z

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA353

1 person had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power during a practice autorotation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported that, during a practice autorotation, a total loss of engine power occurred about 3,500 ft above ground level. The pilot made several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, and he subsequently performed an autorotation emergency landing. During the landing, the helicopter slid forward about 20 ft, the skids dug into the dry lakebed, and the helicopter then nosed over. Subsequently, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its side. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was test run at various power settings with no anomalies noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.