# Accident 20000523040609A: Amtr ULTRASPORT, Newport News, VA, May 23, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2000, 16:00 local time
- Place: Newport News, VA
- Airport: Williamsburg International Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0393° N, 76.4810° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0393&lon=-76.4810&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9258H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9258H-2002-04-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Heli-Eagle ULTRASPORT 496 (registry code 05605SQ, https://openairdocs.org/model/heli-eagle-ultrasport-496) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Hirth F30 (registry code 33730, https://openairdocs.org/engine/hirth-f30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ULTRASPORT
- Reported engine: HIRTH F30
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 34 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA142) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000523040609A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON MAY 23, 2000, ABOUT 1600 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HELI-EAGLE ULTRASPORT 496, N9258H, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE HOVERING AT THE NEWPORT NEWS/WILLIAMSBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PHF), NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL COMPANY FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT 1400, HE HOVERED THE HELICOPTER TO THE "NIKE SITE," A GRASSY AREA AT PHF. HE PERFORMED TWO TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND THEN SHUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN, BECAUSE OF A "FAIRLY STIFF WIND." AT 1600, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE "NIKE SITE" TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL HOVER WORK. HE PERFORMED THE FIRST HOVER SUCCESSFULLY, AND SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN. DURING THE SECOND HOVER ATTEMPT, THE WIND SPUN THE HELICOPTER TO THE RIGHT, AND THE SKIDS CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER "ROCKED ON ITS NOSE," AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE HELICOPTER. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, WHO EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE ACCIDENT, REPORTED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTORS, THE TAIL ROTOR, AND THE "BUBBLE" OF THE HELICOPTER. ADDITIONALLY, BOTH SKIDS WERE BENT UPWARD 90 DEGREES. THE WINDS REPORTED AT THE AIRPORT, AT 1548, WERE FROM 190 DEGREES, AT 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 4,500 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, ALL IN HELICOPTERS, OF WHICH ABOUT 34 HOURS WERE IN MAKE AND MODEL. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT DURING THE 90 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD FLOWN 11.3 HOURS, OF WHICH 1 HOUR WAS IN MAKE AND MODEL.                                                                  (-23) WHILE FLYING FOR PROFICIENCY/BUILDING FLIGHT TIME, PILOT ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS THAT EXCEEDED HIS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IS AN EXPERIMENTAL/AMATEUR CERTIFICATED AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC00LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA142), May 23, 2000: Heli-Eagle Ultrasport 496 (N9258H), Newport News, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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