ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 278994
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| Date: | Saturday 6 October 2018 |
| Time: | 18:30 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N611TH |
| MSN: | 12344 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 983 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Salinas, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Salinas Municipal Airport, CA (SNS/KSNS) |
| Paso Robles Airport, CA (PRB/KPRB) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Shortly after takeoff, as the pilot turned the helicopter onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, he noticed an 'immediate low rotor speed,†a loss of engine power, and the helicopter yawed to the left. The pilot increased power; however, both the engine and rotor rpm continued to decrease rapidly. The pilot lowered the collective to regain and maintain rotor rpm and initiated an autorotation to an agricultural field. The helicopter landed hard, and a rotor blade severed the tail boom.
The pilot stated that he experienced the same malfunctions twice during a flight about 3 months before the accident (low rotor speed and loss of engine power). During this flight, he was able to land the helicopter without incident.
A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed faulty wiring to the engine governor. Because of the faulty wiring, the governor was likely unable to sense rotor and engine rpm and make the necessary adjustments to keep rotor rpm constant, resulting in a loss of engine power.
Probable Cause: The partial loss of engine power after takeoff due to faulty wiring to the engine governor.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR19LA002
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Jun-2022 14:46 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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