History of Flight
On January 22, 2008, at 1234 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, registered as N18HB, collided with the ground while maneuvering over runway 27 at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, near Ochopee, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a filed flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopter departed the same airport at 1233.
A witness, who was mowing grass at the airport, reported that the helicopter had been practicing takeoffs and landings for 20 minutes to 1 hour. He observed the helicopter hovering above the grass, north and parallel to the taxiway, short of the runway 27 hold line. The helicopter then ascended rapidly to about 200 feet and made a right turn above runway 27 in a nose-down attitude. The tail turned 45 degrees to the left side of the runway. The helicopter rolled left, became inverted, and the rotor blades stopped. It continued rolling left until right side up, then descended in a nose-down, left turn, colliding with the ground, catching fire, and exploding.
The daughter of the registered owner stated that the airline transport pilot had been giving her father flight instruction in rotary wing aircraft, which was confirmed by the daughter of the airline transport pilot.
Personnel Information
The airline transport pilot, aged 64, occupied the left front seat. He held a foreign-based commercial pilot certificate issued October 24, 1980, with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, valid only with his Canadian pilot license. He also held an airline transport pilot certificate issued June 27, 2003, with ratings for airplane multiengine land, commercial pilot for rotorcraft helicopter, and private pilot for airplane single engine land and sea. He had a Cessna 525S type rating with a pilot-in-command limitation. He did not hold a flight instructor certificate. His first-class medical certificate, issued April 24, 2007, had no restrictions. He reported 13,000 total flight hours. According to a helicopter flight instructor, he completed a flight review in the R44 on August 17, 2007, with 1.5 hours of ground and 2.3 hours of flight instruction. He reported 660 rotary wing hours, with 585 in the Robinson R22 and 15 in the R44. His logbook was not located. Training records from Robinson Helicopter Company showed he attended a Flight Instructor Safety and Refresher Clinic from November 9-13, 2003. The instructor commented, "Hi time airplane pilot still thinks airplane."
The pilot-rated passenger, aged 74, occupied the right front seat. He held a private pilot certificate issued January 31, 1983, with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, valid only with his Canadian pilot license. He did not hold a rotorcraft helicopter rating. His FAA medical certificate was denied on June 18, 2007, due to failure to provide additional medical information. Transport Canada granted a medical certificate on July 27, 2006. He had bypass surgery in 2004 or 2005, according to his daughter. He reported 6,650 total flight hours. His logbook was not located. His helicopter flight time included 15 hours in an R44 with a Robinson Chilean Chief flight instructor, 15 hours in an R22 with the deceased airline transport pilot, 10 hours in an R44 with "S. Diaz" in Santiago, Chile, and 65 hours in a Robinson R44 Astro. He also had an instrument rating.
Aircraft Information
The Robinson R44, serial number 0634, was manufactured July 21, 1999. It was a four-place, single main rotor, single engine helicopter with a skid-type landing gear, powered by a Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 260 hp engine. The helicopter had 7.3 total hours when transported to Europe on July 21, 1999, and returned to the United States on June 2, 2005, with 2,115 hours. A Standard Airworthiness Certificate was issued in the normal category on June 3, 2005. The engine was overhauled and zero-timed on May 24, 2007, and reinstalled during the 2,200-hour overhaul with an annual inspection on June 21, 2007, at 2,180 hours. The previous owner stated it had flown 90-95 hours since the last annual inspection. The helicopter was topped off with 34.8 gallons of 100 low lead fuel on January 22, 2008, at 11:12 AM.
Meteorological Information
At 1253, the surface weather observation at Miami International Airport, 33 nautical miles southeast of the crash site, recorded wind 080 degrees at 15 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling 2,100 feet broken, 13,000 feet overcast, temperature 26°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter 30.21 inches.
Airport Information
Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport has a field elevation of 13 feet. Runway 27 is 10,499 feet long and 150 feet wide. The taxiway at the hold short line for runway 27 is on a heading of 155 degrees magnetic. The airline transport pilot held an Aircraft Use Permit valid from August 28, 2007, through August 28, 2008.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located 10 feet left of runway 27 on a heading of 210 degrees magnetic. The helicopter collided with the ground in a nose-up, left skid low attitude on a heading of 250 degrees magnetic on the runway. The landing gear separated, and the bottom of the engine assembly struck the runway. The red main rotor blade and tail rotor gearbox separated. A red lens cover, yellow and black paint transfer were present. The helicopter continued forward 33 feet, coming to rest on its left side. Oil staining from the engine and tail rotor gearbox was present. The debris line extended 50 feet.
Examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction. A post-crash fire consumed the cabin. Pilot's and co-pilot's left anti-torque pedals were full forward, right pedals full aft. Co-pilot's left pedal footrest was bent downward. Cyclic grips were fire damaged. Collective friction hardware was at .9 inches below full up (72% travel). Interconnected throttle was closed.
The red main rotor blade was attached to the hub but separated 5 feet outboard, coned upward, with leading edge bent aft 6 feet inboard of tip. Red paint transfer from contact with the tail boom "Danger" decal was present. The blue main rotor blade was attached and fire damaged, extending 6 feet outboard with no leading edge scarring.
Examination of the main gearbox, flex couplers, overrunning clutch, tail rotor drive shaft, and chip detectors revealed no pre-crash mechanical failure. Belt tension actuator measured 1 inch between scissor mounts. Lower actuator support bearing rotated smoothly; upper was fire-damaged and would not rotate. All four drive belts were fire damaged.
The tail cone separated 12 feet aft of the forward mount. Lower vertical stabilizer damaged, tailskid separated. Tail rotor gearbox separated from input flange; output shaft rotated by hand. Tail rotor blades torn from leading edges, with scarring on outboard skin and hub face.
Engine examination revealed no anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
Postmortem examination of the airline transport pilot by the District 20 Medical Examiner, Naples, Florida, on January 24, 2008, determined the cause of death as "blunt force injuries and fire." Toxicology was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, basic, acidic, and neutral drugs.
The private pilot's postmortem examination by the Collier County Medical Examiner on January 23, 2008, also determined the cause of death as "blunt force injuries and fire." Toxicology was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol. Metoprolol and triamterene were detected in blood and urine. The examiner noted the pilot had bypass grafting times 5 on August 16, 2005.