Danbury, TX, USA
N26498
Robinson R22
The pilot was conducting low-altitude pollination operations over a rice field when the governor caution light and the clutch caution light illuminated in succession; in response, the pilot reduced engine power. While landing in the field, the main rotor blades drooped and hit the tail cone, substantially damaging the helicopter. Postaccident inspection found that a failed electrical relay caused the governor light to illuminate, but the electrical relay by itself would not affect governor operation. No other anomalies were found with the helicopter, including the clutch system, that would have precluded normal operation. The accident sequence is consistent with the pilot responding to the governor caution light by reducing power but then letting the main rotor speed decaying too much during landing, such that the main rotor blades drooped and hit the tail cone.
On June 28, 2019 at 1132 Central Daylight Time, a Robinson R-22 Beta helicopter, N26498, impacted terrainnear Danbury, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to a corporation and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 pollination flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the accident site and along the route of flight about the time of the accident. The pilot reported to the FAA he was conducting pollination activities when the "clutch" light illuminated and would not go out and he began to loose power, so he "set it down" in the field. He pilot told the mechanic selected to repair the helicopter that he was flying low over the agricultural field when the "GOV" (governor) caution light illuminated, followed by the "clutch light" illuminating. He felt the helicopter began to lose rotor speed and responded by rolling the engine power. He landed the helicopter vertically and did not split the skids; however, the main rotor speed decayed sufficiently enough that a main rotor blade drooped and struck the tail cone, substantially damaging the helicopter. The mechanic reported that during an examination of the helicopter the "actuator" engaged and disengaged normally, the drive belts were in good condition, and the clutch rotated normally. The governor light remained illuminated regardless of the switch position. He traced the light to a faulty electrical relay that caused the light to illuminate, and stated the faulty relay would only cause the light to come on and would not affect the governor operation. He verified the governor operated normally when electrical power was applied. No other anomalies were found with the helicopter.
A failed electrical relay, which provided an improper indication of a governor and clutch problem, which resulted in the pilot conducting a precautionary landing during which he failed to maintain sufficient main rotor speed.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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