Robinson R44 N7224U

Summary

On 8 July 2017 at about 14:40 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N7224U, operated by J R Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Ireland, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 2017 at 14:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Ireland, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

38.4147, -86.9994

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N7224U

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

J R Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ireland → Ireland

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17LA267

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to apply the proper procedures to recover from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of control during an aerial application turn.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an agricultural aerial application flight. The pilot reported that the helicopter made an uncommanded right yaw during a turn. The pilot stated that he applied full left pedal to counter the yaw and that the helicopter centered briefly, but then the right yaw started again, which continued as the helicopter descended and impacted the ground. Because the helicopter was likely operating out of ground effect at a high power setting, the uncommanded right yaw was likely the result of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). According to Federal Aviation Administration guidance, the procedures to recover from LTE are early detection followed by applying forward cyclic to regain airspeed, applying right (not left) pedal to maintain rotor rpm, and reducing collective to reduce the high power demand on the tail rotor. On the basis of the available information, the pilot lost control of the helicopter when he responded improperly to the LTE by adding left pedal rather than by applying forward cyclic and right pedal and reducing collective.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.