ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 216565
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| Date: | Tuesday 23 August 2005 |
| Time: | 14:40 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 |
| Owner/operator: | Leak Surveys Inc |
| Registration: | N160TX |
| MSN: | 0997 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2001 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1208 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport, near Odessa, Texas. -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport, near Odessa, Texas (ODO/KODO) |
| Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport, near Odessa, Texas (ODO/KODO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On August 23, 2005, about 14:40 CDT (Central Daylight Time), a single-engine Robinson R-44 helicopter, N160TX, was substantially damaged during a hard landing while conducting a simulated emergency landing at the Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport (ODO), near Odessa, Texas. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by a private corporation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the accident airport at 14:00 CDT.
According to the 1,212-hour pilot, the flight departed runway 11 and remained in the landing pattern to demonstrate an autorotation for his passengers. While established on the left downwind he applied carburetor heat and radioed his intentions. Approximately 200 feet above ground level (agl), he lined up for a final approach to runway 11 and "made another radio call, checked carburetor temperature, checked gauges to make sure they were in the green and checked manifold pressure." All indications were "normal" so the pilot proceeded to "[roll] off" the engine power. With the "rotor RPM [bleeding] off very rapidly", the pilot elected to leave the collective in the full down position until he applied full engine throttle to start the flare. Shortly thereafter the pilot realized that the helicopter was going to impact the ground "hard."
The helicopter impacted the runway with enough force that the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom, resulting in its separation from the fuselage. The helicopter continued to slide down the runway for approximately 25 to 30 feet before rolling and coming to rest on its right side.
The pilot further reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the helicopter.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the helicopter, reported that the fuselage, main and tail rotor blades, and the tail rotor drive shaft sustained structural damage.
At 13:53 CDT, the automated surface observing system (ASOS) at ODO, reported wind from 120 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 91 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 57 degrees Fahrenheit and a barometric pressure setting of 29.98 inches of Mercury.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM and the improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: DFW05CA220 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20051026X01726&ntsbno=DFW05CA220&akey=1
2. FAA: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=160TX
3. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=743
4. https://planecrashmap.com/list/tx/
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Oct-2018 19:41 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 22-Oct-2018 19:42 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Destination airport] |
| 22-Oct-2018 19:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Nature] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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