NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 12, 2012, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Sikorsky S-55B, N443FD, was substantially damaged during an off airport precautionary landing near Yorktown, New York. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and left side of the fuselage. The helicopter was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a ferry flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight destined for the Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), Bridgeport, Connecticut. The flight originated from Newton Airport (3N5), Newton, New Jersey, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.

According to the pilot, while in cruise flight, with a quartering tailwind, an unusual noise was heard. He elected to perform a precautionary landing to a farm field. As the helicopter descended for the precautionary landing, the pilot utilized the collective to arrest the descent rate beginning about 30 feet above ground level. However, utilizing the full travel of the collective the helicopter continued with no noticeable reduction in descent. The helicopter landed in the field, all four landing gears sank into the soft ground, and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on the left side of the fuselage.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot, age 59, held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land and sea, helicopter, and a second-class airman medical certificate issued July 24, 2012. The pilot reported about 6,800 total flight hours with approximately 4,800 total flight hours in rotorcraft and approximately 800 total flight hours in the accident helicopter make and model.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The six-seat, four-wheeled helicopter was powered by a Wright R1300-3D, 800-hp 7-cylinder radial engine. According to the pilot, the helicopter's most recent annual inspection occurred on September 14, 2008, with a recorded time of 2,594 total hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A review of the recorded data from the Westchester County Airport (HPN), White Plains, New York, located about 15 miles to the northwest of the accident location, revealed at 1756 conditions indicated wind 350 at 12 knots with gust of 16 knots, visibility of 10 miles, cloud conditions were scattered at 3500 and 7500 feet above ground level, temperature was 10 degrees C, dewpoint was minus 1 degrees C, and the barometric altimeter was 30.23 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

Initial examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed buckling of the structure along the tail section. In addition, the main rotor blades and the left side of the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Fuel was observed at the accident location. Several ground scars, consistent with the forward and aft wheels, were noted at the accident site. The ground scars were several feet in length, approximately 1-foot in depth, and were in line with the landing direction. According to the FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot, the helicopter was moving in a forward direction at the time of touch down about 10 knots.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The engine data monitoring (EDM) system was examined by the Safety Board's Recorders Laboratory. The examination revealed that the exhaust gas temperature was between 1,000 and 1,500 degrees F and the cylinder head temperature was indicating between 275 and 325 degrees F.

According to the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, vortex ring state (settling with power) describes an aerodynamic condition where a helicopter may be in a vertical descent with up to maximum power applied, and little or no cyclic authority. The term "settling with power" comes from the fact that the helicopter keeps settling even though full engine power is applied. Among the conditions listed which were conducive to settling with power were: attempting to hover out of ground effect without maintaining precise altitude control, and downwind or steep power approaches at low forward airspeed.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper decision to perform a downwind precautionary landing and the helicopter’s resultant settling with power and impact with terrain.