Monthly Accident and Incident Data for the Month of April 2012
CEN12LA230 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 1 SERIOUS,1 UNINJURED
On April 5, 2012, about 0700 moun-
tain daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, N104MH, impacted terrain while maneuvering at low altitude near Isabel, South Dakota. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and the non- pilot passenger was not injured. The heli- copter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a coyote hunting flight. Day visual meteoro- logical conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Timber Lake Municipal Airport (D58), Timber Lake, South Dakota about 0630 for the local flight.
According to the commercial pilot he
was southbound about 50 feet above ground level (AGL) and he remembered that the surface wind was out of the southeast. The helicopter was flying about 50 to 70 knots when he made a sudden right turn to the west to intercept a coyote when he felt a loss of engine power and heard a “low rotor horn”. He immediately “dumped the collective”; the helicopter impacted trees and terrain and rolled on its right side. After the crash both occupants were
able to extract themselves from the wreckage unassisted. The helicopter was not equipped with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) or any other type of emergency location reporting device. The injured commercial pilot stayed with the wreckage while the passenger walked several miles in the remote rural area to a residence to make a telephone call to 9-1- 1 emergency.
WPR12CA162 - FACTUAL INJURIES: 2 UNINJURED
The pilot stated that while landing
downwind, the helicopter (Robinson R44) began to yaw to the right. The pilot
46 June 2012
applied left pedal and forward cyclic inputs in an attempt to correct the yaw, however, the helicopter continued to rotate and descend. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter touched down on both skids and rolled onto its right side, which result- ed in substantial damage to the airframe and rotor blades. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
CEN12LA242 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 1 MINOR
On April 14, 2012, approximately
0300 central daylight time, a Bell 407 hel- icopter, N509MT, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Aberdeen, South Dakota. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a commercial EMS oper- ator in Tucson, Arizona under the provi- sions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The flight originated from the Aberdeen Regional Airport (KABR), Aberdeen, South Dakota, about 0250. According to a statement provided by
the pilot, while en route to his destination, the helicopter began an uncommanded left yaw accompanied by a low howling sound. The pilot elected to conduct a pre- cautionary landing and maneuvered to land. On landing, the helicopter touched down hard, resulting in the main rotor blades severing the helicopter’s tailboom section.
ERA12LA282 - PRELIMINARY INJURIES: 2 SERIOUS
On April 14, 2012, about 1840 east-
ern daylight time, a Robinson R22 helicop- ter, N1152W, was substantially damaged following a loss of control and an uncon- trolled descent while approaching South Meadows Heliport (CT73), Farmington, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot
and a passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions pre- vailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Chester Airport (SNC), Chester, Connecticut around 1740, with the intended destination of CT73. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, the helicopter
departed SNC after it was serviced with 17 gallons of fuel. He completed a scenic flight lasting approximately one hour, before returning for landing at CT73. The heliport was a small paved pad on the east side of a large open field, surrounded by tall trees. The approach was from the south-
east on a northwesterly heading, and according to the pilot, the windsock “indi- cated a wind direction opposite” to their flight path. He then initiated a turn to “enter the landing area” when he felt a bump in the tail rotor control [pedals]. The pilot added that he applied left pedal to compensate for a right yaw, and the heli- copter immediately “started to rotate” at an increasing yaw rate with full left pedal applied. The pilot stated that the rotation stopped when he pushed the collective control “full down” and applied aft cyclic. The helicopter then descended through the trees and collided with terrain. A witness at the heliport heard the
helicopter approach and described the sound as “all fine.” She said the sound changed, and then she heard a loud bang. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
inspectors performed a preliminary exam- ination of the helicopter at the accident site on the day of the accident. The examina- tion revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies. The helicopter was removed from the site, and a detailed examination of the wreckage was scheduled. According to FAA records, the heli-
copter was manufactured in 2006 and had accrued 1,825 total aircraft hours. Its most recent annual inspection was com- pleted August 24, 2011 at 1,801 total air-
Federal Aviation Administration
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