Summary
On September 25, 2013, a Robinson R44 - II (N190SH) was involved in an accident near Flagstaff, AZ. The accident resulted in 3 minor injuries, with 1 person uninjured out of 4 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm while landing in a gusty wind at a high density altitude.
The pilot reported that he was landing the helicopter in a bowl-shaped meadow surrounded by mountains and trees. While circling the landing zone to determine the surface winds and descending, about 20 feet above ground level, the helicopter encountered a wind gust. The low rotor horn sounded and the pilot regained rpm, but another wind gust from behind again resulted in a loss of rotor rpm. The pilot said he was too low to recover, so he performed a run-on landing. The helicopter struck an earthen berm and rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The elevation at the accident site was 8,411 feet; the density altitude was calculated to have been 10,059 feet.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR13CA424. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N190SH.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm while landing in a gusty wind at a high density altitude.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was landing the helicopter in a bowl-shaped meadow surrounded by mountains and trees. While circling the landing zone to determine the surface winds and descending, about 20 feet above ground level, the helicopter encountered a wind gust. The low rotor horn sounded and the pilot regained rpm, but another wind gust from behind again resulted in a loss of rotor rpm. The pilot said he was too low to recover, so he performed a run-on landing. The helicopter struck an earthen berm and rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The elevation at the accident site was 8,411 feet; the density altitude was calculated to have been 10,059 feet. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR13CA424