Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico 00603
Sunday, August 8, 2010 16:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during the takeoff the helicopter encountered a downdraft about 20 feet above the hilltop helipad. He stated that he attempted to compensate for the wind with a collective input, but the helicopter descended and struck the downsloping hillside. The helicopter came to rest on its side and incurred substantial damage during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter. Review of performance documents in the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the helicopter revealed that it was loaded 94 pounds above the maximum gross weight and 120 pounds above the maximum allowable gross weight for out-of-ground-effect hover maneuvers for the environmental conditions present at the time of the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight performance calculations, which resulted in the overweight helicopter's lack of hover capability out of ground effect.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1615 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Aguadilla |
| Event State | PUERTO RICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00603 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 182239N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0670140W |
| 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 | 1550 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 319 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TJBQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 237 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 25 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR TJBQ 081950Z 06017G22KT 10SM VCTS SCT020 31/ |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 4 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27935 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ASO C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 5 2010 5:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coxp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N367JM |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA407 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | ROBINSON HELICOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | R44 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0638 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 23 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1050 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ISLA GRANDE RENTAL CORP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 192343 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN JUAN |
| Aircraft Owner State | PR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 00919 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ISLA GRANDE RENTAL CORP |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 192343 |
| Operator City | SAN JUAN |
| Operator State | PR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 00919 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | NONE |
| Departure City | Aguadilla |
| Departure State | PR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1615 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | San Sebastian |
| Destination State | PR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 14 2010 3:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | diad |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |