Robinson R44 N944DC

Summary

On 9 July 2018 at about 00:00 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N944DC, operated by Skyline Helicopters Llc, was involved in an accident near Okawville, Illinois, 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.

Date

9 July 2018 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Okawville, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

38.5175, -89.5656

Aircraft

Robinson R44

Registration

N944DC

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2011

Engines

1

Operator

Skyline Helicopters Llc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Okawville → Okawville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA430

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper preflight weight and balance calculation, which resulted in his operating the helicopter over its maximum gross takeoff weight and in its subsequent failure to climb.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter pilot reported that, before starting agricultural application flights for the day, he calculated that about 490 lbs of chemical would bring the helicopter's weight near the manufacturer's maximum gross weight limitation. After an agricultural application flight, he landed the helicopter on a platform on top of a chemical reloading truck and reloaded the chemical tank with the precalculated amount. Once reloaded, he maintained a stabilized hover over the truck and transitioned to forward flight. When the helicopter cleared the truck, the "engine [made] a lower sound," and the main rotor low rpm horn activated, and the caution light illuminated. He immediately added power, lowered the collective to restore main rotor rpm, and pitched forward to gain airspeed, but the helicopter would not climb. He then decided to perform a roll-on landing on the adjacent field, but the helicopter landed hard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail cone, tail rotor blades, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that, after the accident, he recalculated the helicopter's weight and balance. He determined that, during the reloading operation, the chemical tank was not empty but had about 80 lbs of chemical remaining and that the added precalculated amount of chemical exceeded the helicopter's maximum gross weight limitation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.