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Off airport precautionary landing at a college football field by a cautious R44 helicopter pilot with high oil and cylinder head temperatures on a pleasure flight near stl, mo.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 608965 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200402 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Robinson R44 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 340 |
| ASRS Report | 608965 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : temp gauges other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution other |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I was PIC operating under 14 crash fire rescue equipment 91 as a pleasure flight for myself and passenger. Approximately 25 mins into the flight, I noticed higher oil temperatures and cylinder head temperatures than normal. As a result of the high temperatures, oil pressure dropped slightly. Not wanting the situation to get any worse, I executed a precautionary landing into a university's football field. After shutting down, I secured the aircraft. Later inspection showed an oil bypass valve was intermittently sticking. It would not have caused further damage to continue my flight, but I stand by my decision to make a precautionary landing. I ensured my, and my passenger, safety -- regardless of what hardships I caused the university's track team by ending their practice early. Safety comes first!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: OFF ARPT PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT A COLLEGE FOOTBALL FIELD BY A CAUTIOUS R44 HELI PLT WITH HIGH OIL AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS ON A PLEASURE FLT NEAR STL, MO.
Narrative: I WAS PIC OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR 91 AS A PLEASURE FLT FOR MYSELF AND PAX. APPROX 25 MINS INTO THE FLT, I NOTICED HIGHER OIL TEMPS AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS THAN NORMAL. AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH TEMPS, OIL PRESSURE DROPPED SLIGHTLY. NOT WANTING THE SIT TO GET ANY WORSE, I EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG INTO A UNIVERSITY'S FOOTBALL FIELD. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN, I SECURED THE ACFT. LATER INSPECTION SHOWED AN OIL BYPASS VALVE WAS INTERMITTENTLY STICKING. IT WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE TO CONTINUE MY FLT, BUT I STAND BY MY DECISION TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I ENSURED MY, AND MY PAX, SAFETY -- REGARDLESS OF WHAT HARDSHIPS I CAUSED THE UNIVERSITY'S TRACK TEAM BY ENDING THEIR PRACTICE EARLY. SAFETY COMES FIRST!
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.