Robinson R44 N41407
7 June 2016 · Chireno, Texas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 7 June 2016 at about 19:00 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N41407 was involved in an accident near Chireno, Texas, United States. One person was 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 19:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Chireno, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 31.5669, -94.3392
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44
- Registration
- N41407
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2008
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- San Augustine → Nacogdoches
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- GAA16CA297
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The student pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over during landing, and substantial damage to the tail boom.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The student helicopter pilot reported that during a local flight he diverted his attention to the navigational equipment and removed his hand from the cyclic. He reported that he lost control of the helicopter and believed the helicopter became inverted. He further reported that he presumed that he had damaged the rotor system and elected to make a precautionary landing by entering an autorotation. During the landing, the left helicopter skid touched down on uneven terrain and the helicopter rolled over, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The manufacturer provided a test flight video that showed what will occur when the Helicopter's cyclic is released in forward flight. Per the video, in forward flight, should the pilot release the cyclic, the helicopter will pitch up and roll left.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 2016 | Robinson R44 | Juhu, India | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Dec 2016 | Robinson R44 | Separ, New Mexico, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Aug 2016 | Robinson R44 | Kailua/Kona, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 2016 | Robinson R44 II | Atemajac de Brizuela, Mexico | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Robinson R44 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | 702 Helicopter Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 28 May 2016 | Robinson R44 | Spring Branch, Texas, United States | Flying Helicopters Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul 2016 | Waco YMF-F5C | Austin, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Dec 2016 | Piper PA 34 | Denton, Texas, United States | U S Aviation Group LLC | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Cessna 152 | Bridgeport, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jan 2016 | Aviat A-1C | Breckenridge, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Dec 2016 | Hiller OH 23B | Tynan, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Jan 2016 | Piper PA 28RT-201 | Terrell, Texas, United States | J. Linn Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |