R66 down Colombia
 

source:

2 die in Bogota helicopter crash - Colombia news | Colombia Reports

Google translation from this source says 'mechanical failure'.

Not what Robinson wanted that's for sure

Accidente de helicptero en Tolima - Colombia Noticias: Actualidad Nacional - ELTIEMPO.COM
:sad:

And an R44 Clipper II down in the Alps: severe burns to occupants. Fuel bladder fitted to these?

Businessman badly burnt in helicopter crash over Alps - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie

Strange comment on the linked page in post #1:

Robinson needs to be sued for this accident. This helicopter had no more than 50 hours and the rotor was found 2 miles from the wreckage which means it fell off in-flight.

Could have been mast bumping?

[Edit]
Another comment claims photos show the main rotors with the main wreckage. Someone's talking BS.

Can't imagine you would travel 2 miles without a rotor blade!

Very sad news indeed.

clip from a local rag states "According to Radio Caracol a farmer who witnessed the crash, the helicopter's tail brushed against a tree, causing him to lose control and crashed."

Think I'll make mine a double,
this one ain't even started yet

"Can't imagine you would travel 2 miles without a rotor blade"

Depending on the height at the time surely the spinning blades could have travelled that far once free of the hull....Anyway, RIP to those poor guys...sad news

Well, he can't have been that high 'cos according to a witness his tail clipped a tree.

Very vague news...
I'd like to see the investigation report, I'll be flkying one of those very soon..:eek:

I've moved the general discussion on Robinsons to Robinson: the greatest helicopter of all time.

R66 accident in Colombia
 

He was my best FRIEND,they loose part of the Tail boom at 300 fts in a final app, the Tail boom was found 350 fts away from de accident! N810AG 75 TT.
WOW!!!!!!!

Tail boom
 

Video of the crash site, watch the video at 27 seconds for a close up of the tail, was it chopped or did it break off :eek:???

Dos muertos dejó accidente de helicóptero en inmediaciones de Flandes en Tolima | La FM - RCN Radio


In better times
JetPhotos.Net Aviation Photos-Registration Search: N810AG

Looks very much chopped to me. It is cut right at the antenna, and at an angle. Right about where you would expect the MR to hit the tail.

Screenshot from the video:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/...9931c1aa_o.png

That's an ugly scene...:(

Never seen a pretty one yet.:\

On finals at 300ft, what manouver is likely to push the rotor through the tail boom?

Maybe it is not a manouvre driven event. The possibility of disintegration of one blade needs to be eliminated. Blade fails, other blade lifts, failed blade spar cuts boom. This has almost certainly happened before with at least two R44s that I know of. I shudder to think that such a blade failure could occur so early in the service life of the aircraft. I really hope there is another explanation.

Blakmax

From previous accident reports involving all sorts of helicopters:
Sudden control input trying to evade a bird. Pilot losing consciousness. Passenger interfering with controls. Control linkage failure. Blade failure. Pilot distracted by trying to close door, causing a low-g situation and roll. Low RPM blade stall for different reasons..... etc etc.

Looking at the position and shape of the break area I would strongly tend to say:
Looks like a Robbie cut.

Most common cause in a Robbie are low RRPM or excessive maneuvering.