ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 137516
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 20 July 2011 |
| Time: | 11:26 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta II |
| Owner/operator: | Nassau Helicopters Inc |
| Registration: | N83509 |
| MSN: | 3269 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2001 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4000 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Indian Fields Elementary School, Ridge Road, Dayton, New Jersey -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | |
| Departure airport: | Princeton Airport, Princeton, New Jersey (FAA LID: 39N) |
| Princeton Airport, Princeton , New Jersey (FAA LID: 39N) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 20, 2011, about 11:26 EDT (Eastern Daylight Time), a Robinson R22 BETA helicopter, N83509, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain following an uncontrolled descent while maneuvering near Dayton, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local photography flight that was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The helicopter departed Princeton Airport (39N), about 10:45 EDT.
According to witnesses, the helicopter was orbiting at low speed and low altitude in the vicinity of an elementary school and some commercial properties. One witness was working on the roof of the school as he observed the helicopter orbit his position. He stated the helicopter engine sounded "fine" as the helicopter completed one and a half circuits around the school about 150 feet above the ground, as one of the occupants was taking photographs. At that point, the witness alerted his coworkers because it appeared that the helicopter "might crash into the school." He said the helicopter then descended quickly towards the ground while the helicopter itself was in a slow "spin." He said the engine ran "perfectly" the entire time up to ground contact.
Another witness stated that the helicopter caught his attention because of its low altitude and because it appeared "slightly out of control." He stated that he watched for only a few seconds before the helicopter descended in a spin, regained altitude momentarily, and then descended from view.
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated he positioned the helicopter in an out-of-ground-effect hover about 400-500 feet above ground level (agl). The photographer asked for a different vantage point, but as the pilot explained that wind and high power demands would prevent him from accommodating the request, the helicopter began to "settle with power." The pilot attempted to arrest the descent with a reduction of power and a forward cyclic input.
As the pilot took corrective action, the helicopter yawed to the right and began to rotate around the main rotor mast. He reduced the throttle to idle to arrest the spin, the yaw rate slowed, but the spin continued as the helicopter descended through approximately 250 feet agl. The pilot remembered assuring the passenger of a safe landing but could not recall anything beyond that point in the flight.
In a statement that the pilot provided through his employer, he estimated that the onset of the event began at 150-200 feet agl, and that the helicopter was "spinning" when it hit the ground.
A video camera, two still cameras, and several data storage devices were recovered at the site and forwarded to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory for examination.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during an out-of-ground-effect hover, which resulted in a loss of control due to settling with power and loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
2. FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=83509
3. http://helihub.com/2011/07/20/20-jul-11-n83509-robinson-r22-dayton-us-new-jersey/
4. https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/20/helicopter-crashes-behind-south-brunswick-school/
5. https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/22/police-identify-pilot-passenger-of-helicopter-that-crashed-near-south-brunswick-school/
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Jul-2011 13:18 | gerard57 | Added |
| 20-Jul-2011 16:16 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Narrative] |
| 09-Oct-2016 01:22 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 27-Nov-2017 17:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Sep-2018 23:39 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Sep-2018 23:44 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 11-Aug-2020 07:11 | Anon. | Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation