24-Feb-2013
Witnesses heard a loud bang before the R44 on a scenic tour made an emergency landing in the lake. Helicopter remained upright in less than 1m of water. All 4 POB exited safely... Read more
20-Feb-2013Source: HAI
Matthew L. Spitzer, musician, entrepreneur, and flying enthusiast, passed away in Hayward, Calif. on February 8, 2013. Matthew was born June 20, 1929, in Pittsburgh, Pa., and raised in Niagara Falls, N.Y. A talented professional pianist with perfect pitch, Matthew played in the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area both solo and with The Billy Howells Band. Matthew... Read more
18-Feb-2013Source: Rotorcorp
Airworthiness Directive 2012-19-01 has been issued by the FAA in September of 2012 for certain O540 and IO-540 engines installed in Robinson R44 helicopters. RotorCorp has arranged for priority pricing on Lycoming factory overhauled and rebuilt zero time engines that renders this new AD a non-issue for R44 helicopter owners around the world. The AD... Read more
15-Feb-2013Source: ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics)
Check out our new Helicopter Flashcards for the Robinson R22 and TH-67 training helicopters. Civilian and military students, instructors, and pilots of all levels will find these flashcards serve to greatly facilitate memorization and understanding of the systems and functions of each aircraft. The R22 Helicopter Flashcards Study Guide contains nearly 400 flashcards covering the... Read more
11-Feb-2013Source: PHPA
Topic: Jam Packed Helicopter SAFETY Workshop with National & Local Safety Items Addressed. (Held at Robinson Helo Facility) On Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 8:00 AM Location: Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Dr., Torrance, CA 90505 Select Number: WP0548604 Description: HAI (Helicopter Association International), So Cal PHPA (Professional Helicopter Pilots Association), and FAAST (FAA Safety Team) invite you to a day... Read more
9-Feb-2013
Private pilot injured in accident on take-off. Local language TV report at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDXhMP-fBrU... Read more
5-Feb-2013Source: NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to assist in the investigation of a Robinson R44 II helicopter that crashed about 80 miles north of Asuncion, Paraguay. Initial reports indicate that the pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The investigation is being led by the Paraguay Civil Aviation Authority (CIPAA). The NTSB has... Read more
4-Feb-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Low-level helicopter flying, engaged in doors-off ammunition-ready feral hog hunting has been a major factor in two helicopter accidents in the last seven days. Estimates vary between two and four million hogs across the US. These wild animals are responsible for significant damage to pastures, leading to losses on behalf of the land owners. This... Read more
3-Feb-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Presidential candidate Lino Oviedo, aged 69, died in an accident involving the Robinson R44 he was flying in on Saturday night. The accident also claimed the lives of his bodyguard Derlis Galeano, and the pilot, Ramón Aurelio Picco. Our safety data pages have more details at 02-Feb-13 ZP-HAH Robinson R44 Puerto Antequera, Paraguay (3F) Some... Read more
3-Feb-2013Source: Topeka Capital-Journal
Kansas Supreme Court upholds the decision of a lower court to invalidate a 2008 contract for Topeka Police to buy an R44 after the down payment of $74,000 had been paid. (see full story here – and the documentation from the court here)... Read more
2-Feb-2013
Presidential candidate Lino Oviedo died in the accident along with his bodyguard Derlis Galeano, and the pilot, Ramón Aurelio Picco. The flight was scheduled for 7.15pm but did not take off until 9.00pm, despite objections from the pilot that the helicopter was not suitably equipped for night flight and that there was an approaching storm... Read more
1-Feb-2013
Helicopter crashed while hunting feral hogs at low level, ending up on its port side. Two persons were injured in the crash which happened about 2:45pm local... Read more
30-Jan-2013
“In the evening of January 27, 2013 Gemini was alerted of an overdue helicopter with a last known location approximately 77 kilometers southwest of Fox Creek. ” (see full story) File photo... Read more
28-Jan-2013
Survey helicopter overdue. Weather may have been an issue as a Canadian military Bell 412 involved in the search had to return to base due to weather. CADAORS 2013C0386... Read more
27-Jan-2013Source: ATSB
ATSB summary of the accident follows:- What happened On 3 September 2011, the pilot and one crewman of a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 helicopter, registered VH-HCA (HCA), departed an airstrip located near Kumarina roadhouse, approximately 150 km south of Newman, Western Australia. The crew were conducting low-level geophysical survey operations when the pilot was observed... Read more
25-Jan-2013
Helicopter came down after hitting powerlines. Pilot Francois Liebenberg and his two passengers were all taken to hospital with injuries. Close up video tour of wreckage here on YouTube... Read more
22-Jan-2013
Helicopter was flying up a valley and suddenly lost altitude due to a suspected downdraft. the helicopter hit the ground and rolled 6 times, breaking off the tail... Read more
21-Jan-2013
Helicopter experienced unusual vibrations while flying at 4500ft. Pilot decided to make a precautionary landing but the tail struck the ground during landing and helicopter rolled over.... Read more
19-Jan-2013
During the final approach, the pilot conducted a missed approach. The pilot subsequently lost control and the helicopter collided with the ground.... Read more
18-Jan-2013Source: Smithville Times
From the company being founded in Oregon in 2007, and expanding into California, Jerry Trimble Helicopters has now opened at Smithville Crawford Municipal Airport in Texas (see full story)... Read more
17-Jan-2013
Rolled over onto starboard side on training flight, 2 POB not injured... Read more
17-Jan-2013
Hard landing on training flight. FAA report gives reg as N223GM which is not a valid registration. N223GM is assumed, based on it being the right helicopter type and registered to a Designated Pilot Examiner who leases 2+ R22s to Alamo Helicopters... Read more
16-Jan-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Bolivian Government Minister Carlos Romero is reported in local press as announcing that the the national law enforcement agency “Policía Boliviana” will receive two Robinson R44s later this month. Due to the altitudes involved in Bolivia, the pair will not be able to fly around the capital La Paz, which lies between 10,650 and 13,250... Read more
15-Jan-2013Source: HeliHub.com
With a total of 191 R66s shipped in 2012, it’s clear that the company’s turbine helicopter is a great success, even without certification in Canada, Russia and most significantly the EASA countries in Europe. When making their annual statement on production numbers, Robinson noted that their top priority – based on customer demand – is... Read more
14-Jan-2013Source: Robinson
Robinson Helicopter’s production for 2012 was 517 helicopters – 191 R66s, 286 R44s and 40 R22s, a 45% increase over 2011’s production of 356. As in previous years, the majority of those sales (70%) went to foreign customers. Based on the backlog of new orders, Robinson anticipates 2013’s production numbers to surpass 2012’s. The current... Read more
13-Jan-2013Source: Tampa Bay Online
Following Robinson’s offer of a reward for the recovery of the two blades of an R22 involved in a fatal accident, the first blade has now been brought up and the second one sighted (see full story) File photo... Read more
11-Jan-2013
Main rotor blade struck the tail boom during start-up due to a wind gust. Significant damage was caused to the tail boom, with associated damage to the rotor blades.... Read more
10-Jan-2013Source: Palau Helicopters
The only one of its kind in Palau, pioneer dive shop Fish ‘n Fins just introduced a new helicopter service. Officially known as Palau Helicopters Inc., Fish ‘n Fins now owns and operates a brand new Robinson R66 turbine helicopter, which allows visitors to experience the beauty of Palau‘s Rock islands from the air. Scenic flight... Read more
10-Jan-2013
Helicopter crashed on to highway, killing pilot. Post crash fire. Truck driver injured in the ensuing chaos. No other injuries, despite heavy traffic at the time. Weather reported as wet. Helicopter _may_ have hit wires, causing crash. Pilot reported as ” 42 year old small business owner from Hohenlohe”... Read more
3-Jan-2013Source: Payson Roundup
Gila County Sheriff’s Office dive teams scoured the bottom of the lake for more than a week, but found no sign of the helicopter, which splashed into the lake during a sightseeing flight out of Mesa (see full story). File photo see also the following from HeliHub.com safety data pages – 07-Dec-12 N557AC Robinson R44... Read more
3-Jan-2013
Details unknown. Helicopter “missing from radar screens” and not found until 15 days after the accident... Read more
3-Jan-2013
During lift off, the helicopter’s tail struck the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter was substantially damaged.... Read more
2-Jan-2013Source: Robinson
On 30 November 2012, a Robinson R22 helicopter crashed into Tampa Bay near Apollo Beach. Most of the helicopter was recovered with the exception of the two main rotor blades. An extensive search of the properties in Apollo Beach was unsuccessful in locating the missing blades. Investigators are confident the blades are located offshore. Robinson... Read more
2-Jan-2013
Helicopter tipped over onto its starboard side on a training flight landing... Read more
1-Jan-2013
Dynamic Roll-over on training flight. No injuries reported to instructor or student... Read more
23-Dec-2012
Crashed on landing – the 68-year old owner of the helicopter Trygve Nils Svard was landing at his son’s house. Helicopter started to spin and it was put down hurriedly, remaining upright but catching fire. Photos show a trailer well within the rotor disc area at its final resting spot. Pilot suffered minor burns only.... Read more
21-Dec-2012Source: Mornington-Sanford Aviation
The Nigerian Air Force Invites the World Famous “Pink Shirt” (Richard Mornington-Sanford) to their base in Enugu to conduct a Robinson R66 with RR300 engine Type training Course and assemble their first two R66 helicopters. 11 technicians (including two members of the Nigerian Aviation Authority) attended the theoretical element of the course, which was conducted... Read more
21-Dec-2012
Substantial damage on landing... Read more
17-Dec-2012
Star Helicopters, one of the leading helicopter tour operators in Los Angeles, is proud to begin operating charter and air taxi helicopter rides with an FAA Part 135 certification. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that all aircraft operators carrying passengers for hire in point-to-point helicopter rides or charters and commuter flights must carry this... Read more
17-Dec-2012Source: Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman
Robinson helicopter crash lawyers, Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, can report that Robinson Helicopter Company’s R44 fuel tank rebate offer is about to expire. After many low impact post-crash fires, the company announced that it was offering a $1,000 incentive to R44 owners who purchase and install their bladder fuel tank kit by December 31,... Read more
16-Dec-2012
Training accident, both occupants injured. Aircraft written off... Read more
15-Dec-2012
Tipped over onto its side on landing. Training flight... Read more
11-Dec-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Britain’s Sloane Helicopters opened its base in Northern Ireland at Enniskillen Airport back in 2007 before the recession hit – and it’s no secret that helicopter operations in Northern Ireland have been hit nearly as badly as those in the country of Ireland to the south. Undaunted by this, Sloane are showing a continued commitment... Read more
11-Dec-2012Source: IHST
The International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST), a worldwide organization leading a multi-year effort to enhance safety and reduce the civil helicopter accident rate, has added Robinson Helicopter Company President Kurt Robinson to its Executive Committee. Kurt Robinson heads the Robinson Helicopter Company, which is the world’s leading manufacturer of civil helicopters. The company of nearly... Read more
11-Dec-2012
Low level photography flight... Read more
9-Dec-2012
Crashed during crop spraying operations. Sole occupant pilot killed.... Read more
9-Dec-2012
R44 with 3 POB missing. Did not arrive at intended destination in the Dmitrov District after taking off on 40 mile flight... Read more
7-Dec-2012
The aircraft was on a two-hour sightseeing tour when it went down in 60 feet of water only 25 minutes after taking off from Scottsdale Airpark. The pilot is identified as 62-year-old Fred Cleeves, owner of Skyblue Helicopters. The passengers were George Riedel, 64, and Julie Barba, 49.... Read more
5-Dec-2012Source: UTair
The first Robinson R44 helicopter has been delivered to the UTair-Engineering MRO facility in Tyumen for capital repairs. The compete inspection and refitting is expected to take 3 months. In 2012 UTair-Engineering passed the Robinson Helicopter and Russian Aviation Authority MRO performance audits in 2012, qualifying for capital repair operations on R44 helicopters, making UTair-Engineering... Read more
5-Dec-2012
Emergency beacon activated, helicopter in forested area – sole occupant pilot Glen Freeland died in the accident. Three rescuers had to be dropped by helicopter to cut out a landing pad. CADAORS 2012C5203... Read more
4-Dec-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Robinson Helicopter Co have confirmed to HeliHub.com that they have doubled the R66 production rate from three a week at the start of 2012 to six a week at the back end of the year. The company target is that the lead time for delivery should never be more than six months, and they had... Read more
4-Dec-2012Source: DART helicopter Services
DART helicopter Services is pleased to announce Hong Kong Approval of their R44 Emergency Float Kits. FAA, EASA and Transport Canada approvals have already been granted. The Apical Emergency Float System provides a lightweight and easy to install solution for R44 Raven operators who need to fly over water, and are requesting the added increased... Read more
30-Nov-2012
Crashed into water, killing sole occupant pilot John “Larry” Ward. Witness reported rotor blade separation... Read more
29-Nov-2012Source: Phoenix New Times
The problem began on October 12, 2011, when a report about a suspicious pilot came into the Flagstaff office of the US Dept of Homeland Security Investigations. (see full story)... Read more
25-Nov-2012
Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher has accepted a donated RT-5000 radio from Cobham Aerospace Communications. The $72,000 radio was custom-built for YCSO, and can be upgraded as technology changes. (see full story)... Read more
25-Nov-2012Source: Mornington Sanford Aviation
Mornington Sanford Aviation have recently been approved by Robinson Helicopter Co as a provider of R66 Factory Maintenance Training. This provides the company the ability to provide Worldwide maintenance training to either RHC factory or EASA Part 147 Type training standards. Richard Mornington-Sanford has forty years of experience in the aviation industry; 30 of these... Read more
25-Nov-2012
Helicopter exploded after striking fuel bay canopy. Sole occupant pilot was killed. Occurred at 11.08pm local time. The casualty was later named as owner James Belcher... Read more
22-Nov-2012
Turned over during attempted landing. Landed on port side with tail boom separated... Read more
21-Nov-2012
Crashed in a wooded area on training flight. Instructor Silvestre Travassos Neto, 34, and student Felipe Barreto, 18, died at the scene... Read more
19-Nov-2012Source: National Park Service
The National Park Service released a statement this morning regarding the Oct. 3 helicopter crash in North Cascades National Park:- On October 4th, rangers received a report that a leased Robinson 22 helicopter had crashed the day before in a remote area of the park about six miles south of the international border with Canada.... Read more
15-Nov-2012
Emergency landing on sports field. No damage. Out by road to maintenance facility... Read more
8-Nov-2012
Experienced pilot killed in “perfect weather conditions” after reportedly “falling out of the sky”. Police stated that the pilot was Julian Dean Kramer (52), also known as Julianne Kramer – chief flying instructor at Wakatipu Aero Club. Helicopter may be ZK-HCG (1499)... Read more
2-Nov-2012
Training accident, ending up on its port side... Read more
1-Nov-2012
Two injured in light helicopter accident... Read more
31-Oct-2012Source: San Bernardino Sun
Two forces – one with a Robinson R44 (and expanding to R66) and one with a Cessna fixed-wing – to merge aviation operations (see full story)... Read more
31-Oct-2012
During mustering, the helicopter collided with water and submerged.... Read more
27-Oct-2012
Pilot put R22 Mariner down into Lake Havasu after experiencingd unspecified mechanical problems. Mohave County Sheriff’s reported the pilot as Michael Christiansen, and his passenger as Michael Rabo. It is unclear from press reports how this helicopter sank, given it has fixed floats... Read more
26-Oct-2012
Substantially damaged during tree harvesting operation... Read more
25-Oct-2012
Pilot named as Múcio Pereira Júnior, 31. Passengers were Rafael Cavalcanti and Alan Magalhães Souza, both 29. Level of damage not apparent from reports, which confirm it crashed in a forested area... Read more
24-Oct-2012
Training accident, lost control during ground taxi in gusty conditions up to 22 knots of wind. Helicopter landed and turned over onto its starboard side. Student pilot Maycon Nogaroli, 35, was not injured. Instructor Samir Nagib Murr, 32, was hospitalized with head injuries.... Read more
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