Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II near Pahrump, NV — 2014-08-24

Final reportWPR14LA353
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Date
2014-08-24
Location
Pahrump, NV, USA
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
Registration
N4246Z
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during a practice autorotation for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported that, during a practice autorotation, a total loss of engine power occurred about 3,500 ft above ground level. The pilot made several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, and he subsequently performed an autorotation emergency landing. During the landing, the helicopter slid forward about 20 ft, the skids dug into the dry lakebed, and the helicopter then nosed over. Subsequently, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its side. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was test run at various power settings with no anomalies noted.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the autorotation practice earlier.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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