Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
King County Intl/Boeing Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Seattle, Washington 98108
Tuesady, February 27, 2001 14:31 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilots attempted a 180-degree autorotation to touchdown from an entry airspeed of 70 knots and entry altitude of 300 feet above ground level (AGL). The instructor reported that halfway around the 180-degree turn, the helicopter's airspeed was 65 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) (the airspeed specified by the R22 Pilot's Operating Handbook for maximum glide distance), with rotor RPM in the normal operating range. The trainee reported that after establishing the proper turn rate, he noted that rotor RPM was in the normal range, but that the helicopter's airspeed had slowed to about 50 knots. The trainee reported that "Not more than a second later", he noted that "the rate of descent appeared to be higher than normal and the ground closer than expected" (the instructor reported he noted the rate of descent was "greater than normal for our proximity to the ground...[as] we were about to roll out of the turn.") The pilots reported that they attempted to recover, but that the helicopter then struck the ground and rolled onto its right side. No evidence of any pre-impact mechanical problems with the helicopter was found during post-accident examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Both pilots' exceedance of the proper descent rate during the autorotative descent. Factors included the helicopter's low altitude at maneuver initiation, the failure of both pilots to maintain the proper airspeed during the descent, and both pilots' delay in initiating remedial action.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/27/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1431 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Seattle |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98108 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | King County Intl/Boeing Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BFI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 18 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BFI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 18 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 17000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.26 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10521 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 27 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1437 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 19 2001 10:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Renton, WA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8362Q |
| NTSB Number | SEA01LA054 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2774 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 14 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 35.2 |
| Airframe Hours | 2218.3 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Rhoades Holding Ltd. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 35 Broadway Apt #1 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Tacoma |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 984024100 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Classic Helicopter Corp. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6505 Perimeter Rd. |
| Operator City | Seattle |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98108 |
| Operator Code | GJOA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | BFI |
| Departure City | Seattle |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1425 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| 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? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2001 5:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | RANS |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |