ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 216621
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| Date: | Saturday 13 May 2006 |
| Time: | 10:45 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Astro |
| Owner/operator: | WW Helicopters LLC |
| Registration: | N442GS |
| MSN: | 0683 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1999 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1089 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-F1B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | East Troy Municipal Airport, East Troy, Wisconsin -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | East Troy Municipal Airport, East Troy, Wisconsin (FDD LID:57C) |
| East Troy Municipal Airport, East Troy, Wisconsin (FDD LID:57C) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On May 13, 2006, about 10:45 CDT (Central Daylight Time), a Robinson R44 Astro helicopter, N442GS, operated by WW Helicopters LLC, and piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck a pole during takeoff at the East Troy Municipal Airport (57C), East Troy, Wisconsin. The 14 CFR Part 91 sightseeing flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and three passengers received serious injuries. One passenger received minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that he started to lift off to a hover and the helicopter "bolted forward." He stated that attempted to stop the forward movement and at the same time tried to avoid the hangar and the "weather pole" by the hangar. He stated that the main rotor blades struck the pole, "which brought the helicopter down."
A witness to the accident reported that the helicopter took off from the blacktop taxiway that runs in front of the operator's hangar. He reported that the helicopter lifted off, struck a "windsock/radio antenna" pole located adjacent to the hangar, and then crashed to the ground next to the hangar.
Another witness reported that the helicopter lifted off of the ground with the left skid low. He stated that as it gained altitude, the nose pitched down and the helicopter began accelerating forward. He stated that as the helicopter approached the building it turned to the left and then he heard it hit the pole. The witness did not see the impact.
According to police reports, a child was ejected from the helicopter during the accident. The police reports indicate that the child was 2 years and 8 months old and was seated in his fathers lap in the left rear seat of the helicopter. The child was not wearing a seat belt.
The helicopter came to rest adjacent to the hangar used by the helicopter's owner/operator. The hangar was located on the north side of runway 08/26 and was adjacent to the taxiway that runs parallel to runway 08/26. The helicopter came to rest in the grass area to the south of the hangar and between the hangar and the runway's parallel taxiway. The hangar door was located on the east side of the building and another north/south taxiway runs along the east side of the hangar. According to witness accounts, this taxiway was where the accident flight originated.
Located at the southeast corner of the building was a pole that was used to mount a windsock, satellite dish and a radio antenna. The pole was about one foot south and one foot east of the corner of the building. The pole was a tapered steel pole about 24 feet in height and it was anchored to the ground with a cement base. The cement base was about 18 inches in diameter and 2 feet deep, and was completely pulled from the ground. About 18 feet from the base, the pole had markings consistent with being struck by the main rotor blades of the helicopter.
At 10:55 CDT, the recorded weather at the Burlington Municipal Airport (BUU), 8 nautical southeast of East Troy, was: wind 340 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 7 statute miles with rain; sky condition 500 feet scattered, 1,100 feet broken, 2,700 feet overcast; temperature 45 degrees Celsius; dew point 45 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.64 inches of mercury.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to calculate the weight and balance of the helicopter prior to flight, his failure to recognize and correct the forward center of gravity condition and his failure to abort the takeoff. A factors was the pilot's improper decision to conduct the flight without seatbelts available for all passengers.
Robinson R44 Astro N442GS was presumably written off (damaged beyond repair) as the registration was cancelled by the FAA on August 4 2006. Another Robinson R44 Raven II now wears this registration mark, but it is a completely different airframe (MSN 12522, first flown August 10, 2008)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: CHI06FA128 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/NTSB.Aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20060523X00612&ntsbno=CHI06FA128&akey=1
2. FAA Registration: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=N442GS
3. https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/499220
4. https://planecrashmap.com/map/wi/
Location
Media:
N442GS at Manitowoc County
by Flightline Aviation Media - Bruce Leibowitz on netAirspace.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2018 20:20 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 24-Oct-2018 20:21 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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