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The pilot of a robinson R22 helicopter makes a precautionary off airport landing within the city limits of tcc, NM, when his tail rotor chip detector alerts him to a possible problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 431976 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tcc.airport |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Robinson R22 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach landing : roll landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 431976 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : chip detector other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I was flying eastbound on I-40 en route to tuccumcari, NM, uncontrolled airport. Approximately 3 mi before I reached the city, my tail rotor chip detector light illuminated. Since it was dusk, I started an approach towards the city because the airport was still approximately 6 more mi to the east. When I was over the city I located a vacant field to make a precautionary landing. I made a high reconnaissance of the area and started my approach into the field. I continued with a low reconnaissance and there were no people or vehicles around this area and I was approximately 500-800 ft from the closest building. Upon setting down and rolling my throttle off, the tail rotor chip detector light went out. I ran the engine a little longer and it did not come on, so I repositioned the aircraft to a more secure area. I hover-taxied approximately 500 ft to a parking lot with a chain link fence on 2 sides. No people or vehicles were present and I remained approximately 300 ft from the closest building. As soon as I touched down, I had my passenger open his door and watch the rear of the aircraft to make sure no one approached from that direction. A police officer pulled up as we were shutting down and he was on the phone to the FAA. He informed me that we made an unauthorized landing, but he said the city does not have an ordinance prohibiting a helicopter from landing within the city limits. I talked to the same FAA inspector later that night on the phone and explained everything to him. My passenger was also an a&P, he checked the tail rotor chip detector and did not find anything. The next morning, I called the local police and they secured the area for me to depart at about XA45. At no time during this entire incident was anything done in a careless or reckless manner. At all times the pilot, passenger, aircraft and public safety were of most concern.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT OF A ROBINSON R22 HELI MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF TCC, NM, WHEN HIS TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR ALERTS HIM TO A POSSIBLE PROB.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING EBOUND ON I-40 ENRTE TO TUCCUMCARI, NM, UNCTLED ARPT. APPROX 3 MI BEFORE I REACHED THE CITY, MY TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SINCE IT WAS DUSK, I STARTED AN APCH TOWARDS THE CITY BECAUSE THE ARPT WAS STILL APPROX 6 MORE MI TO THE E. WHEN I WAS OVER THE CITY I LOCATED A VACANT FIELD TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I MADE A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE OF THE AREA AND STARTED MY APCH INTO THE FIELD. I CONTINUED WITH A LOW RECONNAISSANCE AND THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES AROUND THIS AREA AND I WAS APPROX 500-800 FT FROM THE CLOSEST BUILDING. UPON SETTING DOWN AND ROLLING MY THROTTLE OFF, THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT WENT OUT. I RAN THE ENG A LITTLE LONGER AND IT DID NOT COME ON, SO I REPOSITIONED THE ACFT TO A MORE SECURE AREA. I HOVER-TAXIED APPROX 500 FT TO A PARKING LOT WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE ON 2 SIDES. NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES WERE PRESENT AND I REMAINED APPROX 300 FT FROM THE CLOSEST BUILDING. AS SOON AS I TOUCHED DOWN, I HAD MY PAX OPEN HIS DOOR AND WATCH THE REAR OF THE ACFT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE APCHED FROM THAT DIRECTION. A POLICE OFFICER PULLED UP AS WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN AND HE WAS ON THE PHONE TO THE FAA. HE INFORMED ME THAT WE MADE AN UNAUTH LNDG, BUT HE SAID THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING A HELI FROM LNDG WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. I TALKED TO THE SAME FAA INSPECTOR LATER THAT NIGHT ON THE PHONE AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO HIM. MY PAX WAS ALSO AN A&P, HE CHKED THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP DETECTOR AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE NEXT MORNING, I CALLED THE LCL POLICE AND THEY SECURED THE AREA FOR ME TO DEPART AT ABOUT XA45. AT NO TIME DURING THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS ANYTHING DONE IN A CARELESS OR RECKLESS MANNER. AT ALL TIMES THE PLT, PAX, ACFT AND PUBLIC SAFETY WERE OF MOST CONCERN.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.