Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Scottsdale Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Sunday, June 17, 2012 10:45 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On June 17, 2012, at 1045 hours mountain standard time, a Robinson Helicopter Company, R44 II, N808WH, landed hard following an autorotation near Scottsdale, Arizona. SkyBlue Helicopters, LLC., operated the helicopter as an introduction flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and fuselage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed the Scottsdale Airport (SDL), Scottsdale. No flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot’s written statement, he was demonstrating an autorotation; he started the maneuver at 800 feet above ground level (agl), and initiated a recovery at 100 feet agl. The pilot stated that he initiated the flare and rolled on the power for a power recovery. The engine rpm’s remained at an idle power setting and did not increase as anticipated. The pilot stated that the rotor rpm’s started to decay, and he attempted to regain the rpm’s by lowering the collective and continuing to roll on the throttle. When the rpm’s did not “come back, an autorotation to the ground was completed.” The pilot reported that he had pulled collective to cushion the landing, and the helicopter contacted the soft ground; coming to a rest on its left side after it rolled forward and the main rotor blades struck the ground. He further reported that the tail boom had been severed during the accident sequence. The pilot turned off the main power switch and positioned the main fuel shut off to the OFF position. The pilot and passengers exited the helicopter from the pilot’s side door.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1045 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Scottsdale |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85260 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 334014N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1114015W |
| Event Location Airport | Scottsdale Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SDL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 15 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1510 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 290 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SDL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1510 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 36 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AWP Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 9 2012 4:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N808WH |
| NTSB Number | WPR12LA267 |
| 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 HELICOPTER COMPANY |
| Aircraft Model | R44 II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 12092 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Apr 13 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 89 |
| Airframe Hours | 753 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AQUILA AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2809 GREAT NORTHERN LOOP STE 100 |
| Aircraft Owner City | MISSOULA |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59808-1749 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SkyBlue Helicopters |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 14605 North Airport Dr STE 100 |
| Operator City | Scottsdale |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85260 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SDL |
| Departure City | Scottsdale |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1040 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | SDL |
| Destination City | Scottsdale |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 9 2012 4:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |