NONE · ROBINSON R44 II · 2013-05-02 · Pomeroy, WA, USA
Event
NTSB number
WPR13LA217
Event ID
20130505X43742
Type
Accident
Date
2013-05-02
Location
Pomeroy, WA, USA
Coordinates
46.486389, -117.421386
Injuries
Highest injury
NONE
Fatal
0
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
1
Total aboard
1
Aircraft
Make
ROBINSON
Model
R44 II
Registration
N442RN
FAR Part
137
Engines
1
Damage
SUBS
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure that the helicopter was properly loaded, which resulted in the helicopter being in excess of its maximum allowable gross weight and led to a loss of main rotor rpm on takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the ground crewman's inadvertent overloading of the helicopter and the design of the spray tank's visual sight glass, which did not allow the pilot to visually verify the amount of the spray tank load without exiting the helicopter.