RobinsonR44

Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents

Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents

The unregistered aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at an unknown time. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The accident pilot was last observed flying the single-seat gyrocopter at about 1350 on the day of the accident. The wreckage was subsequently located the following day about 0915, about 750 feet east of the departure airports Runway 26 threshold. The private pilot held a rating for single-engine land-based airplanes.

At about 1600 Eastern time, the helicopter impacted the ground while conducting a post-maintenance test flight. The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The test flight was to perform a track and balance procedure on the newly installed main rotor blades. Multiple witnesses reported hearing an explosion as the helicopter flew overhead and seeing its empennage depart the aircraft before the initial impact.

At approximately 0340 Eastern time, the helicopter was substantially damaged when it impacted a lake while maneuvering. The solo private pilot was not injured. Night visual conditions prevailed. After returning from a cross-country flight, the pilot took off in the helicopter to build night time and conduct a night landing. While maneuvering to return to the airport, the pilot saw the clutch actuator light illuminate and remain illuminated for nine seconds. The pilot reached for the circuit breaker box under the passenger seat and then felt “light in the seat.” The helicopter was rapidly descending, and he pulled up on the collective to arrest the descent.

The helicopter collided with a guy wire at 1745 Central time and was substantially damaged by impact forces and post-crash fire. The commercial pilot was killed. Visual conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight. A witness heard a loud “pop”, and turned, then watched as the helicopter became entangled in a guy wire before colliding with the ground and bursting into flames.

The helicopter was destroyed at about 0538 Central time when it impacted an occupied house and terrain. Instrument conditions prevailed at the time of the accident; no flight plan was on file. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured; the five occupants in the house were uninjured. Earlier, witnesses reported hearing but not seeing a helicopter that sounded “really low.” Reportedly, its “engine sounded like it was at low RPMs.”

The flight instructor was having the student practice landing approaches. During a turn, the instructor noted that the helicopter was descending faster than anticipated, and that “the collective was too far down, the cyclic was too far back, and [the student] had a tight hold on both controls.” The instructor struggled with the student for control of the helicopter for a period of 3 to 4 seconds. The helicopter landed hard, rolled onto its left side, and instantly caught on fire. Both occupants exited the right door. The helicopter was destroyed by fire.

The helicopter was destroyed by a post-crash fire after impacting the ground at approximately 1045 Central time following an attempted takeoff from a private field. The pilot received minor injuries and the one passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. The helicopter owner had reportedly purchased the helicopter seven days prior to the accident. Additionally, the helicopter was previously owned by a flight school, and had been disassembled for shipment. The accident pilot reportedly bought the helicopter and a local mechanic reassembled it.

The helicopter was substantially damaged at 1234 Eastern time when it collided with the ground while maneuvering. Visual conditions prevailed. The airline transport pilot and private-pilot passenger were fatally injured. A witness stated the helicopter had been practicing takeoffs and landings. He observed the helicopter at a hover; it then “went up very fast to an altitude of about 200 feet” and made a right turn in a nose-down attitude. The helicopter then rolled to the left and became inverted. The rotor blades stopped and the helicopter continued to roll left until it became right side up and descended in a nose-down, left turn colliding with the ground and catching fire, followed by an explosion.