NTSB makes R44 mast bumping recommendations

NTSB makes R44 mast bumping recommendations

24-Aug-2011 Source: NTSB

The NTSB has issued a long statement of recommendations to the FAA following their investigation of a May 2009 accident to a Robinson R44 operated by Alaska State Troopers.  The recommendations are summarised at the end of the document as:-

Therefore, the National Transportation Safety Board makes the following recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration:

  • Require Robinson Helicopter to resolve the root cause of the mast-rocking vibration in the main rotor assembly to ensure that all applicable R44 helicopters are free of excessive vibrations in all flight regimes, as required by 14 Code of Federal Regulations Section 27.251, “Vibration.” (A-11-82)
  • Require Robinson Helicopter to maintain a database of all reported incidents of mast rocking in the main rotor assembly of R44 helicopters. (A-11-83)
  • Require Robinson Helicopter to issue a service letter to all approved service centers describing the mast-rocking vibration that can occur in the main rotor assembly of R44 helicopters and instructing service centers to report all incidents of mast rocking to the manufacturer. (A-11-84)
  • Require Robinson Helicopter to amend the R44 helicopter flight manual to inform pilots of the potential for mast-rocking vibration in the main rotor assembly and how to safely exit the condition. (A-11-85)
  • Require that the Robinson Helicopter R44 pilot training program be revised to provide pilot instruction in the recognition and mitigation of in-flight mast-rocking vibrations in the main rotor assembly. (A-11-86)

In response to the recommendations in this letter, please refer to Safety Recommendations A-11-82 through -86. If you would like to submit your response electronically rather than in hard copy, you may send it to the following e-mail address: correspondence@ntsb.gov. If your response includes attachments that exceed 5 megabytes, please e-mail us asking for instructions on how to use our secure mailbox. To avoid confusion, please use only one method of submission (that is, do not submit both an electronic copy and a  hard copy of the same response letter).

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