Summary
On July 02, 2014, a Robinson Helicopter R44 (N225TV) was involved in an incident near Olathe, KS. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's engine shutdown procedure.
The pilot reported he landed at the airport without incident. During engine shutdown, he applied rotor brake to slow the main rotor blades. When the pilot released the brake, he heard a bang and felt an impact to the aircraft on the rear left side. He reapplied the main rotor brake intermittently until the blades stopped. The pilot exited the aircraft and noticed a tail boom strike occurred. He stated he input aft cyclic during landing to accommodate landing slightly downhill and did not place the controls in neutral during shutdown. According to the manufacture's shutdown procedures, the cyclic and pedals should be in the neutral position.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN14CA338. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N225TV.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's engine shutdown procedure.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported he landed at the airport without incident. During engine shutdown, he applied rotor brake to slow the main rotor blades. When the pilot released the brake, he heard a bang and felt an impact to the aircraft on the rear left side. He reapplied the main rotor brake intermittently until the blades stopped. The pilot exited the aircraft and noticed a tail boom strike occurred. He stated he input aft cyclic during landing to accommodate landing slightly downhill and did not place the controls in neutral during shutdown. According to the manufacture's shutdown procedures, the cyclic and pedals should be in the neutral position.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN14CA338