What happened
On September 23, 2010, at 0-8:31, an incident involving an Robinson R-44 Clipper II, registration RA-04228, occurred at the Shumak landing site (coordinates 52°01' N, 101°54' E) within the Ulan-Ude air traffic control area. The aircraft, operated by LLC TLK-Trade, was performing a flight to a mountain reserve located at an elevation of 1,600 meters in the upper reaches of the Shumak River for the purpose of visiting a tourist base.
The flight sequence began earlier that morning when the pilot departed the helicopter's permanent base, known as the Shat landing site, at 03:30. After a brief flight to the village of Smolenshchina and back, the aircraft was refueled to its full capacity of 185 liters. Following the refueling, the pilot took three passengers on board and departed the Shat site at 04:17. The flight proceeded for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. The pilot reported to the Ulan-Ude district controller that the aircraft had landed at the Shumak site at 05:37.
Findings
Prior to the departure from the Shat landing site, calculations indicated that the takeoff weight was approximately 1,130 kg, which was within the maximum takeoff weight limits specified in the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the Robinson R-44 Clipper II. Additionally, the center of gravity was calculated at 94.1 inches, which fell within the permitted range of 92 to 102 inches. The pilot reported that the flight was conducted at a safe altitude and followed the established route without deviations. There were no fatalities or injuries reported during the incident.