ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300252
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| Date: | Thursday 27 October 2022 |
| Time: | 16:00 LT |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | WJC Aviation |
| Registration: | N442H |
| MSN: | 14185 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2018 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 626 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Myakka River State Park, Sarasota County, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Winter Haven Municipal Airport - Gilbert Field, FL (GIF/KGIF) |
| Englewood, FL (X36) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
While en route, the pilot saw birds in his flight path and banked the helicopter to the right to avoid striking one, after which he felt a vibration. The vibration continued, and the pilot performed a precautionary landing to a marshy area, where the helicopter rolled over, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination of the helicopter revealed a dent in one of the tail rotor blades; no evidence of any other mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
The tail rotor came to rest in marsh water and the blade did not display evidence of organic material consistent with a bird strike; however, given that the pilot identified and was maneuvering to avoid birds just before the vibration occurred, it is likely that the tail rotor was damaged during impact with a bird, resulting in the subsequent vibration.
Probable Cause: An in-flight collision with a bird, which resulted in damage to a tail rotor blade, a subsequent vibration, and the pilot's decision to conduct a precautionary landing to unsubtle terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA23LA044
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N442H
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N442H/history/20221027/1847Z/KGIF/L%2027.19782%20-82.24508
Location
Media:
Deputies are on scene of a small helicopter crash east off of SR 72 in Sarasota County. A small Robinson helicopter went down, however, both occupants are OK & did not sustain injuries. The FAA will lead the investigation. We will share photos. PIO is not responding at this time. pic.twitter.com/Va88l3aML7
— SarasotaSheriff (@SarasotaSheriff) October 27, 2022
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2022 06:47 | gerard57 | Added |
| 28-Oct-2022 09:50 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 28-Oct-2022 13:19 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 28-Oct-2022 16:51 | johnwg | Updated [Time, Operator, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 06-Dec-2023 14:18 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
| 06-Dec-2023 14:22 | harro | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
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