Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson Center, Ohio 45334
Sunday, September 30, 2007 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he felt vibrations in the main rotor while he was approaching the landing zone. The vibrations grew worse and when the helicopter was about 10 - 15 feet above ground level (agl), the vibrations were severe enough that he decided to lower the collective and land. The tail rotor impacted the tall corn and the tail rotor gearbox separated from the tail rotor boom. The helicopter rotated about 180 degrees during ground impact. The main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the landing gear separated from the fuselage. The on-site inspection of the helicopter revealed no preexisting anomalies. Components of the helicopter were shipped to the Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) for inspection under the oversight of a National Transportation Safety Board aviation safety investigator. The inspection of the helicopter components revealed no preexisting anomalies that would account for the vibrations reported by the pilot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The reported vibration in the helicopter during an approach for landing for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the mature cornfield.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Jackson Center
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45334
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404415N
Event Location Longitude 0840443W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KDAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1009
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23572
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 28 2008 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA Columbus FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8353K
NTSB Number CHI07LA309
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R44
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0348
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1471
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N6272Q Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Lewistown
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43373
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Wilson Anderson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 14849 Street Route 274 West
Operator City Lewistown
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 43333
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Jackson Center
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Jackson Center
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 1 2008 9:25AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --