20010427016839A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Bensen B-8 · Watertown, NY · April 27, 2001

Date: April 27, 2001 · 11:20 local
Place: Watertown, NY
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N8184
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC01LA108

N8184Registration cancelled May 14, 2001 · Bensen B-8S/N T0053882 Airframe modelBensen B-8

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.

(-23) Pilot had been taxiing aircraft up and down a ten acre field "getting the feel of it". Pilot attained an altitude of approximately 4 feet and started a left turn. The main rotor contacted the ground causing the aircraft to flip over. The pilot broke loose from his seat, was thrown onto the ground, and the aircraft landed on him with the still running pusher prop striking the pilot in the back, killing him instantly.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT HAD BEEN TAXIING AIRCRAFT UP AND DOWN A TEN ACRE FIELD "GETTING THE FEEL OF IT". PILOT ATTAINED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET AND STARTED A LEFT TURN. THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER. THE PILOT BROKE LOOSE FROM HIS SEAT, WAS THROWN ONTO THE GROUND, AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON HIM WITH THE STILL RUNNING PUSHER PROP STRIKING THE PILOT IN THE BACK, KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB NYC01LA108Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWatertown, NYThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in rotary wing aircraft.Apr 27, 2001 · Substantial damage