ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 151082
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| Date: | Friday 7 December 2012 |
| Time: | 14:46 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Raven II |
| Owner/operator: | Blue Sky Helicopters |
| Registration: | N557AC |
| MSN: | 11387 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2006 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1813 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Roosevelt Lake northeast of Phoenix, AZ -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Scottsdale, AZ (KSDL) |
| Scottsdale, AZ (KSDL) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot descended the helicopter out of mountainous terrain and then continued over a large mountain lake, cruising about 100 knots at an altitude of about 200 to 250 feet. The lake water was very clear and perfectly calm. The pilot looked inside the cockpit to check instruments, and when he looked outside and below the helicopter, he experienced a feeling of mental confusion similar to vertigo. At this point the pilot estimated that the helicopter was between 15 and 20 feet above the water. He pulled aft on the cyclic, the helicopter impacted the water, pitched forward, and sank. The pilot and his two passengers were able to egress the helicopter while it was submerged.
Immediately after the accident the pilot told a park ranger who was on-scene that he was traveling a little low and thought he set a skid in the water. One of the passengers stated that moments before the collision with the water, the pilot had asked them if they wanted to get closer to the water and if they wanted to chase some birds.
Probable Cause: The pilot's visual disorientation, which resulted in a collision with the lake.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Dec-2012 01:28 | gerard57 | Added |
| 10-Dec-2012 09:39 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 28-Nov-2017 14:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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