Robinson R22 Beta accident near Tulalip, Washington, July 22, 2003

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot landed his helicopter on a bluff adjacent to a hexagonal wood frame structure, which he had been constructing. Although he had landed at the site on previous occasions, this was the first time he had done so with the structure in place. He subsequently walked down and visited a relative and then walked back to the helicopter after advising the relative he would return later. Shortly thereafter the relative heard a "boom" and then noted a fire on the bluff. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident and it could not be determined whether the accident occurred prior to departure, during departure or during a return to the landing site after departure. A post crash fire destroyed most of the helicopter and the wood frame structure. No ground impact marks were noted and there was no evidence that any part of the helicopter struck any of the several trees/dead snags at the perimeter of the bluff. The pilot had an estimated 5,192 hours of total flight experience of which 772 were in rotorcraft and 374 hours were in the accident helicopter. Winds were light and variable and visual meteorological conditions existed at the time. Post crash examination of the non fire-consumed remains of the flight controls and the helicopter's O-360-J2A engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunction. All major components with the exception of the anti-torque pedals and instrument console were identified/located at the accident site. One main rotor blade was released when the blade retention bolt separated at both ends in shear overload, and the blade displayed minimal leading edge damage. The opposing blade's outboard 4 foot section separated from the inboard section and the inboard section remained attached to the rotor mast. The inboard blade section displayed upward bending and the separation point displayed abrupt downward bending. Three feet of the outboard 4 foot section was destroyed by fire but the leading edge strip was found. The outboard one foot tip was not recovered. There was a light impact impression at the top of the main rotor shaft (outside diameter) indicating mast bumping and the elastomeric teeter stop was absent. The opposing stop was crushed. An indeterminate quantity of Quinine was detected in the pilot's blood and liver during toxicological evaluation.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.