Robinson R44 N451DB
8 December 2010 · Canal Point, Florida, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 8 December 2010 at about 10:40 local time, a Robinson R44 registered N451DB, operated by Bravo Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Canal Point, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 10:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Canal Point, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- None (NONE)
- Coordinates
- 26.7167, -80.5833
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44
- Registration
- N451DB
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Bravo Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Canal Point → Canal Point
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night
- NTSB number
- ERA11CA080
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
Pilot fatigue due to lack of sleep resulting in incapacitation (falling asleep) and ground contact while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot, at 0030 he was called to fly for the purpose of frost mitigation. At 0540, while flying over an agricultural field about 30 feet above ground level, he began his last pass over the field, and fell asleep. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest on its left side. He said that the previous day he awoke about 0700, and went on duty at 1800. About 1930, he flew the helicopter on a 1-hour flight and attempted to take a nap at 2100. The nap was interrupted with noise and lights constantly being turned on and off, and he accrued no more than 1 hour of rest. An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, rotor system, and tail boom. There were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter. At the time of the accident the pilot had no more than 1 hour of restless sleep in the previous 22 hours 40 minutes. He also reported that he did not normally fly at night.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Robinson R44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2010 | Robinson R44 | Lagoa do Triunfo, Para, Brazil | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 30 Sep 2010 | Robinson R44 | Davinopolis, Brazil | Elen de Souza Santiago | Fatal | 1 |
| 10 Mar 2010 | Robinson R44 | Karelia, Russia | Dmitry Martynov | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Dec 2010 | Robinson R44 II | Hemphill, Texas, United States | TGB Equipment Leasing LLC | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 2010 | Robinson R44 | Unalaska, Alaska, United States | Bering Pacific Ranches Ltd | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 May 2010 | Robinson R44 | Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States | MD Helicopter Services LLC | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2010 | Long EZ | Leesburg, Florida, United States | Allen Dunlap | Minor injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 2010 | Aero Commander 560E | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Oct 2010 | Mooney M20E | New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2010 | Cessna 152 | Cross City, Florida, United States | Pelican FTC | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 2010 | Interstate S1A | Lakeland, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 2010 | Hughes 369 | Naples, Florida, United States | Collier Mosquito Control District | No injuries | - |