Robinson R44 accident near Sumner, WA
On October 8, 2006, a Robinson R44 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Sumner, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 8, 2006
- Place
- Sumner, WA
- Aircraft
- Robinson R44 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 47.240°N, 122.194°W
- NTSB ID
- 20061012X01505
NTSB summary
THIS CASE HAS BEEN MODIFIED OCTOBER 30, 2007. HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 8, 2006, approximately 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N769RT, impacted the surface of Lake Tapps, near Sumner, Washington, and sunk in about 20 feet of water. The private pilot received fatal injuries, his passenger received serious injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed the same area about 50 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the passenger, the flight was "kind of a spur of the moment event." She stated that the fact that the flight had not been a pre-scheduled event was not unusual, and that it "happened often." She said that she and the pilot had been talking, and jointly decided to go take a look at some property that the pilot was "developing" in the general area. After departure from an area near the pilot's home, the flight proceeded south about 10 miles to the Orting/Carbon River area, where the pilot took about five minutes to look around. After that, he headed northeast for about seven miles to the town of Buckley, where he over-flew some property he wanted to observe. He then headed west, paralleling Highway 410, until he got to the Meyers Road area. At that point, the pilot over-flew the house of a friend. He then told the passenger that he was going to land in an area near the house, but after the
Probable cause
The complete loss of engine power, for undetermined reasons, while on final approach, and the pilot's loss of control of the helicopter after the power loss. Factors include a lake below the final approach to the private landing pad.
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Browse: Washington · Robinson aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
