SERS · ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II · 2017-07-21 · Van Nuys, CA, USA
Event
NTSB number
WPR17LA159
Event ID
20170721X55655
Type
Accident
Date
2017-07-21
Location
Van Nuys, CA, USA
Coordinates
34.160278, -118.461669
Injuries
Highest injury
SERS
Fatal
0
Serious
3
Minor
1
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
4
Aircraft
Make
ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY
Model
R44 II
Registration
N3254E
FAR Part
091
Engines
1
Damage
SUBS
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
An improper repair of the right magneto's tachometer and governor signal wire, which failed during cruise flight and initiated a simultaneous malfunction of both the engine tachometer and governor control system, which resulted in erroneous and contradictory information between the engine tachometer and main rotor tachometer that led the pilot to perform a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the lack of guidance on how to address the simultaneous failure or malfunction of both the engine tachometer and governor control system.