Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ocala, Florida 32678
Sunday, November 17, 1991 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT INITIATED PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. AT 500 FEET ALTITUDE RECOVERY WAS ATTEMPTED BY INCREASING COLLECTIVE AND INCREASING THROTTLE. LOW ROTOR SPEED WARNING WAS HEARD AND ENGINE DID NOT ACCELERATE. PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND CONTINUED AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND AT WHICH TIME A HARD LANDING WAS MADE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF COLLECTIVE CONTROL AND THROTTLE DURING RECOVERY FROM AN AUTOROTATION WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ROTOR RPM AND A SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City OCALA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32678
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID OCF
Elevation of weather observation facility 90
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1757
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45634
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4072U
NTSB Number MIA92LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R22 MARINER
Aircraft Series Identifier R22 MARINE
Aircraft Serial Number 1788M
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 127
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DRAX CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11707 VILLAGE LANE
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32223
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DRAX CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 11707 VILLAGE LANE
Operator City JACKSONVILLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32223
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OCF
Departure City OCALA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --