ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 140431
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| Date: | Wednesday 14 December 2011 |
| Time: | 09:33 |
| Type: |  Robinson R22 Beta II |
| Owner/operator: | Double Eagle Aviation |
| Registration: | N4052G |
| MSN: | 1765 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 9968 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-J2A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | about 1.5 miles SW of Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona (TUS/KTUS) |
| Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona (TUS/KTUS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On December 14, 2011, about 09:33 MST (Mountain Standard Time), a Robinson R22, N4052G, operating using the call sign “Velocity One,” experienced a total loss of engine power while maneuvering about 1.5 miles southwest of Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona. The commercial pilot entered an auto rotative descent that terminated in a hard touchdown. The pilot was seriously injured during the forced landing, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to D3P3 Inc., Tucson, Arizona. The flight originated from TUS about 08:41 MST. The pilot was employed by Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, which operated the helicopter in support of a company work project. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed.
A participant in the test of a Raytheon ground-based proprietary system reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that he was in radio contact with the pilot during the flight. Following prescribed procedures, the pilot was tasked to perform a series of specific maneuvers. The participant and the pilot reported that the maneuvers involved flying an orbital pattern at 2,000 feet with descents to 800 feet, above the ground, which was nearly level. Seconds prior to the crash, the pilot descended to 800 feet. During the descent, the pilot broadcasted the following statement to the local air traffic controller at TUS: “Engine failure, Velocity One engine failure.” No further communications from the pilot were recorded by TUS. The participant did not report hearing the pilot’s emergency transmission.
A Raytheon employee witnessed the helicopter perform three descending flights. He reported that in the last descending flight the helicopter went from 2,000 feet above ground level (agl) to 800 feet agl where he hovered. He further stated that as the helicopter turned to head outbound it continued to descend. At about 150 feet agl the front end of the helicopter pitched up and continued to descend until it terminated in a hard landing.
The pilot reported after a normal engine start and a couple of hover checks he departed TUS. He flew to the south entering the orbital test pattern and climbed to 4,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). After notifying the testing personnel on the ground that he was airborne he switched his frequency to the tower at TUS. He was instructed to report inbound and outbound on every pass. The pilot further reported after starting inbound on the second pass to waking up in the hospital 5 days later he does not remember anything of the event. He also stated that everything was normal with the flight up to the time of losing his memory.
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to utilise carburettor heat while maneuvering.
NOTE: According to the FAA records, the owner of this Robinson R22 was "D3P3 Inc" of Tuscon, Arizona, and was being leased by Rayethon Missile Systems. Other sources (see link #3) give the operator of N4052G as being "Double Eagle Aviation". The aircraft was presumably written off (damaged beyond repair) as the registration N4052G was cancelled by the FAA on May 24, 2012
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: WPR12FA066 at https://www.ntsb.gov/about/employment/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20111214X31105&ntsbno=WPR12FA066&akey=1
2. FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=4052G
3. http://helihub.com/2011/12/14/14-dec-11-tucson-us-arizona/
4. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/16323075/tucson-fire-responing-to-helicopter-crash?clienttype=printable
5. https://tucson.com/news/local/pilot-survives-helicopter-crash-south-of-tucson/article_38232274-2673-11e1-9864-0019bb2963f4.html
6. https://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2011/12/14/helicopter-crashes-near-raytheon
7. http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/16324627/helicopter-crashes-near-tucson-aerospace-plant
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Dec-2011 13:19 | gerard57 | Added |
| 15-Dec-2011 22:22 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Dec-2011 01:41 | gerard57 | Updated [Damage] |
| 16-Dec-2011 04:09 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Jan-2012 11:46 | Geno | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Oct-2016 12:07 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 10-Oct-2016 12:14 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 29-Dec-2016 07:24 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-Nov-2017 17:37 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Sep-2018 22:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Nature, Source] |
| 04-Sep-2018 22:59 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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