ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 150945
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| Date: | Friday 30 November 2012 |
| Time: | 15:12 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta II |
| Owner/operator: | Fly N Choppers |
| Registration: | N2626N |
| MSN: | 3644 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3413 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 200 yards SW of Beer Can Island, Apollo Beach, Tampa, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Peter O Knight Airport, Tampa Bay, Florida (TPF/KTPF) |
| Peter O Knight Airport, Tampa Bay, Florida (TPF/KTPF) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On November 30, 2012, about 15:12 EST (Eastern Standard Time), a Robinson R22 BETA II, N2626N, operated by Fly N Choppers, was substantially damaged when it impacted water, following a main rotor blade separation in flight near Apollo Beach, Florida. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed Peter O Knight Airport (TPF), Tampa, Florida, about 15:02 EST.
According to radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the helicopter departed its home base at Clearwater Airpark (CLW), Clearwater, Florida, about 14:05 EST. It flew over the local area and landed briefly at TPF, before performing another local flight. Witnesses reported that the helicopter was flying along the beach, from north to south, about 500 feet above ground level. The witnesses heard a bang, followed by a main rotor blade separation. The helicopter then immediately rolled right and descended nose down in to a bay, about 200 yards from shore. The last radar target was recorded at 15:11.51 EST, indicating an altitude of 200 feet, about 400 yards from shore. Review of the previous five radar targets revealed that the helicopter had climbed from approximately 500 feet, to 800 feet, before descending into the water.
The helicopter was in cruise flight about 500 feet above ground level, over a bay beach, when both of its main rotor blades separated. The helicopter subsequently descended into the bay, and the wreckage with the exception of the main rotor blades was recovered 2 days later. One main rotor blade was subsequently recovered about 1 month later, and the other main rotor blade was not recovered. With the exception of the separation of the main rotor blades, examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. Metallurgical examination of the rotor hub and the recovered main rotor blade revealed features consistent with overstress, and no pre-existing cracking or fatigue was noted. Additionally, damage to the teetering stops on the rotor hub was consistent with mast bumping. The observed mast bumping could have resulted from large, abrupt flight control inputs or from a mechanical failure of the unrecovered main rotor blade.
Toxicological testing and review of the pilot's medical records revealed a history of near nightly use of zolpidem (Ambien) as a sleep aid and frequent use of rizatripan (Maxalt) to treat migraine headaches. Neither condition or its respective prescription medication for treatment was reported to the Federal Aviation Administration and if it had been, would have most likely disqualified the pilot for a medical certificate based on the frequency of use/symptoms; however, the investigation could not determine the effects, if any, that the recurrent migraine, chronic zolpidem use, and underlying sleep problems might have had on the pilot at the time of the accident.
Probable Cause: Mast bumping for reasons that could not be determined because one main rotor blade was not recovered. Aircraft presumably written off as "damaged beyond economic repair", although the registration N2626N was only belatedly cancelled on December 1, 2018 - six years (almost to the day) later
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
2. FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=2626N
3. http://helihub.com/2012/11/30/30-nov-12-n2626n-robinson-r22-apollo-beach-us-florida-1f/
4. http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/16298-helicopter-down-in-florida-main-blade-departure/
5. http://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2012/11/30/helicopter_crash_rep
6. https://www.reddit.com/r/Helicopters/comments/25utbf/did_anyone_hear_of_a_followup_to_the_r22_beta_2/
7. https://tbo.com/news/blade-from-copter-crash-is-buried-treasure-for-diver-603720
8. https://planecrashmap.com/plane/fl/N2626N/
Location
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Dec-2012 00:11 | gerard57 | Added |
| 01-Dec-2012 10:20 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Dec-2012 11:46 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 02-Dec-2012 02:26 | harro | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2012 12:23 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Dec-2012 07:46 | Geno | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 11-Oct-2016 14:13 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Oct-2016 14:20 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 28-Nov-2017 13:54 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Aug-2018 21:28 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
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