What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 6, 1999, at 1140 eastern standard time, a homebuilt exec 162F, N14JJ, was substantially damaged while attempting to hover at Pottstown Limerick Airport (ptw), Pottstown, Pennsylvania. The student pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the student pilot stated that he was conducting an air taxi, with his son onboard. He taxied about 1/4 mile, then turned the helicopter around to return to the point of departure. The helicopter hovered briefly in position, then was hit with a gust of wind. The helicopter "oscillated," and one of the rotor blades struck the ground. A witness stated that he saw the helicopter as it began rocking, "like a boat in rough water." Then, it "suddenly crashed, throwing debris into the air." The helicopter did not have an airworthiness certificate, and the student pilot had not obtained operating limitations for it. Weather, 45 minutes before the accident, at an airport 100 degrees magnetic, 24 nautica l miles from Pottstown, included winds from 270 degrees magnetic, at 12 knots. (.4)the student pilot was conducting an air taxi in his homebuilt helicopter, with his son onboard. He taxied about 1/4 mile, then turned the helicopter around to return to the point of departure. The helicopter hovered briefly in position, then 'oscillated,' and one of the rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter did not have an airworthiness certificate, and the student pilot had not obtained operating limitations for it. At the time of the accident, the student pilot had about 11 hours of total flight time. The student pilot's last known flight had been over 8 months before the accident, and upon its completion, he received an instructor's endorsement to solo, valid for 90 days. The endorsement stated, in part, that the student pilot was competent for solo hover in winds no greater than 5 mph. Weather, recorded at the accident site 14 minutes after the accident, included winds at 12, gusting to 17 knots. According to 14 CFR part 61, paragraph 61.89(a): 'a student pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft...th at is carrying a passenger.' (-23)student pilot was air taxing the helicopter with his son aborad. He flew about 1/4 mile, then turned to return. At that time the aircraft began rocking uncontrollably laterally according to a witness. A rotor struck the ground and the aircraft stopped flying.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 6, 1999, AT 1140 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A HOMEBUILT EXEC 162F, N14JJ, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HOVER AT POTTSTOWN LIMERICK AIRPORT (PTW), POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING AN AIR TAXI, WITH HIS SON ONBOARD. HE TAXIED ABOUT 1/4 MILE, THEN TURNED THE HELICOPTER AROUND TO RETURN TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. THE HELICOPTER HOVERED BRIEFLY IN POSITION, THEN WAS HIT WITH A GUST OF WIND. THE HELICOPTER "OSCILLATED," AND ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE SAW THE HELICOPTER AS IT BEGAN ROCKING, "LIKE A BOAT IN ROUGH WATER." THEN, IT "SUDDENLY CRASHED, THROWING DEBRIS INTO THE AIR." THE HELICOPTER DID NOT HAVE AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AND THE STUDENT PILOT HAD NOT OBTAINED OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR IT. WEATHER, 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AT AN AIRPORT 100 DEGREES MAGNETIC, 24 NAUTICA L MILES FROM POTTSTOWN, INCLUDED WINDS FROM 270 DEGREES MAGNETIC, AT 12 KNOTS. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN AIR TAXI IN HIS HOMEBUILT HELICOPTER, WITH HIS SON ONBOARD. HE TAXIED ABOUT 1/4 MILE, THEN TURNED THE HELICOPTER AROUND TO RETURN TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. THE HELICOPTER HOVERED BRIEFLY IN POSITION, THEN 'OSCILLATED,' AND ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER DID NOT HAVE AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AND THE STUDENT PILOT HAD NOT OBTAINED OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR IT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE STUDENT PILOT HAD ABOUT 11 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. THE STUDENT PILOT'S LAST KNOWN FLIGHT HAD BEEN OVER 8 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND UPON ITS COMPLETION, HE RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTOR'S ENDORSEMENT TO SOLO, VALID FOR 90 DAYS. THE ENDORSEMENT STATED, IN PART, THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS COMPETENT FOR SOLO HOVER IN WINDS NO GREATER THAN 5 MPH. WEATHER, RECORDED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE 14 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, INCLUDED WINDS AT 12, GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO 14 CFR PART 61, PARAGRAPH 61.89(A): 'A STUDENT PILOT MAY NOT ACT AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF AN AIRCRAFT...TH AT IS CARRYING A PASSENGER.' (-23)STUDENT PILOT WAS AIR TAXING THE HELICOPTER WITH HIS SON ABORAD. HE FLEW ABOUT 1/4 MILE, THEN TURNED TO RETURN. AT THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ROCKING UNCONTROLLABLY LATERALLY ACCORDING TO A WITNESS. A ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED FLYING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.