19990324002639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hiller FH-1100 · Zephryhills, FL · March 24, 1999

Date
March 24, 1999 · 11:00 local
Place
Zephryhills, FL
Phase of flight
Aerial Taxi, Other Helicopter
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4412C
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA99LA111
Reported as
Hiller FH1100
Reported engine
Allison 250C18
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
150 total68 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

1969 Fairchild-Hiller FH-1100 helicopter was being repositioned in the pilot's back yard to water the lawn when it lifted off on the left skid and flipped over onto its side. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on March 24, 1999, at about 1100 eastern standard time, a fairchild Hiller FH-1100, N4412C, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 repositioning flight, rolled over on its right side while attempting to pick up to a hover. Visual meteorological procedures prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injury. The flight was originating from his back yard at the time of the accident. The student pilot stated he was going to wash the helicopter in his back yard. He realized the garden hose was about 6 feet short of the right side of the helicopter. He decided to move the helicopter to the right about 10 to 15 feet. He started the helicopter and did a flight control check which was uneventful. He increased collective, cyclic, applied left antitorque pedal, and started to pick up the helicopter. Before he knew it, the helicopter rolled over on its right side. (.4) the student pilot was going to wash his helicopter in his back yard. He realized the garden hose was about 6 feet short. He decided to move the helicopter about 10 to 15 feet to the right. He started the helicopter and completed a flight control check which was uneventful. He increased collective, cyclic, applied left antitorque pedal, and started to pick up the helicopter. Before he knew it the helicopter entered dynamic rollover and rolled over on its right side.

As the FAA filed it

1969 FAIRCHILD-HILLER FH-1100 HELICOPTER WAS BEING REPOSITIONED IN THE PILOT'S BACK YARD TO WATER THE LAWN WHEN IT LIFTED OFF ON THE LEFT SKID AND FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON MARCH 24, 1999, AT ABOUT 1100 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A FAIRCHILD HILLER FH-1100, N4412C, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT, ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP TO A HOVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL PROCEDURES PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED NO INJURY. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM HIS BACK YARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE WAS GOING TO WASH THE HELICOPTER IN HIS BACK YARD. HE REALIZED THE GARDEN HOSE WAS ABOUT 6 FEET SHORT OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER. HE DECIDED TO MOVE THE HELICOPTER TO THE RIGHT ABOUT 10 TO 15 FEET. HE STARTED THE HELICOPTER AND DID A FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE, CYCLIC, APPLIED LEFT ANTITORQUE PEDAL, AND STARTED TO PICK UP THE HELICOPTER. BEFORE HE KNEW IT, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. (.4) THE STUDENT PILOT WAS GOING TO WASH HIS HELICOPTER IN HIS BACK YARD. HE REALIZED THE GARDEN HOSE WAS ABOUT 6 FEET SHORT. HE DECIDED TO MOVE THE HELICOPTER ABOUT 10 TO 15 FEET TO THE RIGHT. HE STARTED THE HELICOPTER AND COMPLETED A FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL. HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE, CYCLIC, APPLIED LEFT ANTITORQUE PEDAL, AND STARTED TO PICK UP THE HELICOPTER. BEFORE HE KNEW IT THE HELICOPTER ENTERED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.