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| Date: | Monday 8 May 1995 |
| Time: | 15:52 |
| Type: |  Robinson R44 Astro |
| Owner/operator: | Herkules-Flugservice GmbH |
| Registration: | D-HFSD |
| MSN: | 0101 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1994 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-F1B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Riesa -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Mengen (EDCM) |
| Riesa (EDAU) | |
| Investigating agency: | BFU |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
08/05/1995: D-HFSD Robinson R44 (c/no 0101) Robinson R44 of Herkules-Flugservice GmbH experienced an in-flight separation of the main rotor during a familiarization flight at Leipzig, 50 kms W of Riesa, Germany. All four persons on board (pilot and three passengers) were killed.
The flight has originated at Kassel/Calden and flew to Brandenburg and Nardt where the helicopter landed safely. The pilot had reported his intention to land at Riesa Airport at 18:15 local time for fuel.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that a main rotor blade had struck the right side of the cockpit windscreen center post and had sliced through the instrument panel and the lower left side of the cockpit.
At least three German-registered Robinson R44s - D-HTOP, D-HPHS, and D-HFSD - were lost in circumstances similar to the above, and the NTSB report confirmed that there were a near-identical problem with the main rotor in all three cases.
On 12/05/1995 the LBA - Luftfahrtbundesamt (German Accidents Investigation Bureau) issued safety recommendation 3X114-0/95 to stop the operation of all Robinson R44 helicopters that are certified in Germany. (8 killed, in the three aircraft that were written off in a 13 month period between April 1994 and May 1995)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. https://www.bfu-web.de/DE/Home/homepage_node.htmlnn_41544/DE/Publikationen/Untersuchungsberichte/1995/Bericht__95__3X114,templateId=raw,property=publicationFile.pdf/Bericht_95_3X114.pdf
2. http://www.rotorshop.com/sir9603.pdf
3. http://www.libertyhelicopters.co.uk/NTSB_Special%20Report/NTSB_R44Reports/Hanover_Germany.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Feb-2009 10:51 | Anon. | Added |
| 07-Sep-2010 12:43 | Heimo Ernst Weiss | Updated [Date, Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 26-Apr-2011 15:07 | TB | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Aug-2011 11:42 | Uli Elch | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 18-Dec-2011 19:46 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Dec-2011 09:16 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Jun-2014 13:31 | TB | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 25-Jul-2016 15:39 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Aug-2016 18:10 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Aug-2016 18:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 01-Mar-2018 20:19 | TB | Updated [Location, Source, ] |
| 23-Oct-2018 20:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, ] |
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