R44 down

[Goldy]

"According to investigators, the 1999 Robinson 44 helicopter took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and was reported down at 12:37 p.m. by Miami-Dade officials.

 

Eyewitnesses said that the chopper was used in practicing takeoffs and landings when it accidentally flipped on its back and exploded on impact, said the Collier County Sheriff's Office.

 

Sheriff's officials said that the private runway sits on the edge of the Florida Everglades, an hour east of Miami that can only be accessed by air. "

 

Unfortunately all on board were lost. I hate reading this stuff. Goldy

[ADRidge]

God that's horrible. My thoughts go out to the families.

[klmmarine]

Another R44 crashes and "burns". I love flying the thing but, geeze, everytime I see this happen it makes me think twice about the possibilities.

 

I sure wish that they would put in a fuel cell of some sort that would help prevent some of these post crash fires.

[Mikemv]

To All, some info. A lot of incorrect info was published thru various media on this event. Some facts: This occurred at KTNT(Dade-Collier), which is about 50nm SW of KFXE(Ft. Laud. Exec.) and accessible by car at the 50 mile bend on Rt. 41. I passed by in the AM and then about 3:30PM as I passed by I monitored 2 ENG Helos on the freq. knowing something had happened! In our Naples Paper it was incorrectly reported that this is a small runway in the Everglades(actually in the Big Cypress) used only by student pilots. We call it the Jet Port as it has 10,500' of runway and is used for recurrency by Airlines and others. I read on the net last night that(rumor?)a Private Pilot/Owner was teaching a friend to hover? More info will be released but it is a tradgedy anyway it is perceived. In Naples, we did find a delamination last Friday in our R44 blades near the tip caps!!!!! Do your AD Inspection and tap test during preflights! Fly safe, Mike

[Paisley]

RIP

[67november]

Let's stick to the facts and stay away from the rumor mill, let the NTSB do their job

 

********************************************************************************

** Report created 1/24/2008 Record 1 **

********************************************************************************

 

IDENTIFICATION

Regis#: 18HB Make/Model: R44 Description: R-44 Astro

Date: 01/22/2008 Time: 1740

 

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N

Damage: Destroyed

 

LOCATION

City: MIAMI State: FL Country: US

 

DESCRIPTION

N18HB, A ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT, WHILE ON APPROACH, CRASHED, THE TWO

PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, DADE-COLLIER AIRPORT, MIAMI, FL

 

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2

# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

 

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

 

OTHER DATA

Activity: Unknown Phase: Approach Operation: OTHER

 

 

FAA FSDO: SOUTH FLORIDA, FL (SO19) Entry date: 01/23/2008

[jabr800]

As a followup to Mike, my Beta II is going in tomorrow for the blade AD (Fingers crossed), at Aguilla Aviation in Keystone, FL near Gainesville, FL, and out of the 5 copters they've checked so far in the area, they have grounded a fairly new (500 hours) R-44 for bad blades also!

I hope Robinson finds a way to step up to the plate on this stuff!

My thoughts are out to the families of this tragedy.

 

jabr800

 

 

 

To All, some info. A lot of incorrect info was published thru various media on this event. Some facts: This occurred at KTNT(Dade-Collier), which is about 50nm SW of KFXE(Ft. Laud. Exec.) and accessible by car at the 50 mile bend on Rt. 41. I passed by in the AM and then about 3:30PM as I passed by I monitored 2 ENG Helos on the freq. knowing something had happened! In our Naples Paper it was incorrectly reported that this is a small runway in the Everglades(actually in the Big Cypress) used only by student pilots. We call it the Jet Port as it has 10,500' of runway and is used for recurrency by Airlines and others. I read on the net last night that(rumor?)a Private Pilot/Owner was teaching a friend to hover? More info will be released but it is a tradgedy anyway it is perceived. In Naples, we did find a delamination last Friday in our R44 blades near the tip caps!!!!! Do your AD Inspection and tap test during preflights! Fly safe, Mike

[Mikemv]

67N, even the NTSB report is incorrect! It list the location as Miami twice. That is 2 counties away! There is a great(accurate) post over on JH by TimothyA who was the EMS pilot to respond. Everyone learn how to tap test the R-22, R-44 blades near the tip caps. Have your A&P or CP show you. Most important! Fly Safe, Mike

[BOATFIXERGUY]

Mikemv, it's actually common for the NTSB to list the nearest major city in a preliminary report.

 

And I would go over to JH to look, but I can't stand all of the name calling over there...There's good threads I'm sure, but all of the negative stuff gets in the way...

[captkirkyota]

"And I would go over to JH to look, but I can't stand all of the name calling over there...There's good threads I'm sure, but all of the negative stuff gets in the way..."

 

Agreed.

 

As to the accident, very sorry to hear this may they R.I.P.