Robinson R44 N827JE
17 September 2019 · Sardis, Georgia, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 17 September 2019 at about 16:30 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N827JE, operated by Rowland Air Chem Llc, was involved in an accident near Sardis, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously 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 16:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sardis, Georgia, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.0281, -81.7878
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44
- Registration
- N827JE
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 1995
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Rowland Air Chem Llc
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sardis → Sardis
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA19LA273
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
Fatigue failure of the fasteners on the engine crankshaft, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter was about 100 ft above ground level during an aerial application fight when the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot performed an autorotation and the helicopter impacted trees and terrain. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft idler gear flange, which should have been secured to the left half of the crankcase by a bolt and stud, had separated from its mounting location. Worn fragments of the bolt and stud were recovered from the oil sump. Metallurgical examination of the fasteners revealed that they failed due to rotating bending fatigue, which allowed the crankshaft idler gear to disengage and resulted in a loss of engine power. A review of maintenance records revealed that the engine had been in service for about 20 years and 1,900 operating hours since its last major overhaul, which is 8 years and 400 hours beyond the manufacturer recommended time between overhauls.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 2019 | Robinson R44 | Pretoria, South Africa | International Trade And Commodities | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 2019 | Robinson R44 | Parsons, West Virginia, United States | Ali Co | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 May 2019 | Robinson R44 | Alpine, Utah, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 19 May 2019 | Robinson R44 II | Tai Po, China | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Sep 2019 | Robinson R44 | Sanford, Maine, United States | York County Helicopters | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 2019 | Robinson R44 | Mt Tremblank, Canada | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2019 | Boeing 737 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Delta Air Lines | No injuries | - |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Gulfstream GIV | Chamblee, Georgia, United States | Waffle House Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 2019 | Piper PA24 | Brunswick, Georgia, United States | Claene Corp | No injuries | - |
| 15 May 2019 | Hughes 269B | Hampton, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 2019 | Solo Wings WINDLASS | Dalton, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Nov 2019 | Yakovlev YAK 52 | Wrightsville, Georgia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |