Pilot Debrief

ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44 near De Kalb, TX — 2023-03-11

Final reportCEN23LA130
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Date
2023-03-11
Location
De Kalb, TX, USA
Aircraft
ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
Registration
N4164T
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the helicopter due to his failure to maintain rotor speed. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the helicopter’s low rotor speed warning system.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the failure of the helicopter’s low rotor speed warning system.

NTSB narrative

The flight was conducted to hunt feral hogs. The pilot reported that a group of hogs had entered a large field, and he lowered the collective to maneuver the helicopter closer. When he lowered the collective, he perceived a loss of engine and rotor speed. The helicopter immediately began to lose lift. Once the pilot realized that he could not recover the helicopter, he attempted a running (skid-on) landing. However, the landing skids got stuck in the muddy field, the helicopter rocked forward, and the main rotor blades struck the ground causing the aircraft to roll over. The pilot reported the low rotor speed warning did not activate when the rotor speed started to decay. He also stated that all required preflight checklists were complied with before the flight began and no anomalies were noted. A postrecovery examination was unremarkable with exception of the low rotor warning system, which was not operational at the time of the examination. Specifically, the warning system did not activate when the collective control was brought off the low pitch stop and increased to full travel. The reason for the failure of the low rotor warning system was not determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the maneuver when experiencing loss of rotor speed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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