ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 216906
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| Date: | Friday 2 February 2007 |
| Time: | 17:20 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 II |
| Owner/operator: | The Helicopter Company Inc |
| Registration: | C-FGTN |
| MSN: | 10210 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Engine model: | Avco Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Whistle Bare Road, east of Highway 401, SW of Cambridge, Ontario -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Kitchener/Waterloo Regional Airport, Ontario (YKF/CYKF) |
| Kitchener/Waterloo Regional Airport, Ontario (YKF/CYKF) | |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On 20 January 2007, the helicopter was flown to the Kitchener/Waterloo Regional Airport for a maintenance inspection. During the inspection, a small delamination was observed on one of the main rotor blades. The aircraft manufacturer requested that the blades be sent back to the factory and replacement blades were shipped in from Vancouver. After the new blades were installed, the aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) installed the strobe gear in preparation for blade tracking. Two maintenance check flights were conducted earlier on the day of the incident occurrence to track the blades; adjustments were made to one of the pitch links after each of these flights.
The occurrence flight departed the Kitchener/Waterloo Regional Airport at 17:22 EST (Eastern Standard Time) and proceeded south to the Cambridge area at 2,400 feet above sea level, which is approximately 1,400 feet above ground level (agl). The intention was to track the blades and check the rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) while the helicopter was in an autorotation. This ad hoc procedure of tracking the main rotor blades in an autorotation differed from the manufacturer’s procedures, and was reportedly based on trouble-shooting advice received on a previous occasion. A pre-flight briefing about this procedure was limited to asking the pilot if he was comfortable doing autorotations while the AME tracked the main rotor blades.
In preparation for the autorotation, the pilot flew the aircraft over open fields located near Whistle Bare Road, east of Highway 401, southwest of Cambridge, Ontario. During the autorotation, the AME’s attention, which had been focused on the rotor blades, was diverted into the cockpit by an exclamation from the pilot. He observed that the engine/rotor per cent RPM gauge dual pointers were horizontal; indicating approximately 80 per cent, and that the aircraft was pitched nose down. There was no report of a low rotor horn or warning light which are normally set to trigger at 97 per cent. The helicopter continued the descent into the snow-covered field. It struck the ground with the front section of both skids and came to rest on its left side, facing in a northerly direction.
The aviation routine weather report (METAR) at 1700 for the Kitchener/Waterloo Regional Airport was as follows: wind 250˚ True (T) at 14 gusting to 20 knots; visibility 9 statute miles (sm); sky clear; temperature -6˚C, dew point -12˚C. Sunset was at 17:34 EST; the flight was conducted in low-light conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. TSB Canada AVIATION INVESTIGATION REPORT A07O0030 at http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2007/a07o0030/a07o0030.pdf
2. NTSB Identification: CHI07WA066 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20070207X00153&ntsbno=CHI07WA066&akey=1
3. https://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/3636911-helicopter-crash-not-keeping-mark-ideson-down/
4. https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/02/02/two_hurt_in_helicopter_crash.html
5. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=4610
6. https://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/3492639-investigators-search-for-cause-of-helicopter-crash/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Oct-2018 19:13 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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