ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 150113
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| Date: | Friday 12 October 2012 |
| Time: | 18:00 |
| Type: |  Sikorsky S-55B |
| Owner/operator: | Sparta Rotors |
| Registration: | N443FD |
| MSN: | 55-1046 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2594 hours |
| Engine model: | Wright R1300-3D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 716 Kitchawan Rd, Yorktown -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Newton, NJ (3N5) |
| Stratford, CT (JSD) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
During cruise flight, the pilot heard an unusual noise and, after circling while attempting to determine the source of the noise, he elected to perform a precautionary landing to a nearby farm field. During the approach to land with a quartering tailwind, the pilot used the collective to arrest the descent rate; however, after having used the full travel of the collective with no appreciable reduction in the descent rate, the helicopter landed in the soft ground, all four landing gear sank, and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. A nearby weather recording station recorded the wind about the time of the accident as being from the north-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. According to the pilot, the helicopter was moving forward at a speed of about 10 knots at touchdown. Considering the tailwind and the helicopter's low airspeed, it is likely that the airspeed slowed to the point where the helicopter lost translational lift and began to settle with power.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper decision to perform a downwind precautionary landing and the helicopter’s resultant settling with power and impact with terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Oct-2012 03:43 | gerard57 | Added |
| 13-Oct-2012 05:24 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Aircraft type] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 28-Nov-2017 13:44 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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