ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39411
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| Date: | Friday 14 October 1994 |
| Time: | 09:20 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N80546 |
| MSN: | 1204 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1989 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 509 hours |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING O-320-B2C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Eunice, LA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Moosa Memorial Hospital, LA |
| Ville Platte, LA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On October 14, 1994, at 0920 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, N80546, was destroyed during a forced landing near Eunice, Louisiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
A DOCTOR TOOK OFF FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING WESTBOUND ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE HOSPITAL. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER TURNED RIGHT TOWARD A FIELD; HOWEVER, THE WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WENT OUT OF CONTROL, AND THEN CRASHED IN A DITCH NEXT TO A ROAD. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES; HOWEVER, THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 63 AND 59 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING. TOXICOLOGY TESTS WERE POSITIVE FOR FLUOXETINE AND NORFLUOXETINE (PROZAC). TESTS OF A BLOOD SPECIMEN (CLOT) SHOWED 0.2 MG/KG OF FLUOXETINE AND 0.3 MG/KG OF NORFLUOXETINE; TESTS OF A LIVER SPECIMEN SHOWED 6.2 MG/KG FLUOXETINE AND 15 MG/KG NORFLUOXETINE. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, PROZAC, IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT AND WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT, THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE WEATHER CONDITION, WHICH WAS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=80546
https://www.getgordon.com/verdicts/doctor-dies-in-helicopter-crash-due-to-defect-in-fuels-mixture/
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 06-Sep-2016 13:54 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-Sep-2016 13:56 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 12-Oct-2022 05:23 | Captain Adam | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
| 12-Oct-2022 05:24 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo] |
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