20090201001889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Lexington, KY · February 1, 2009

Date: February 1, 2009 · 18:52 local
Place: Lexington, KY
Airport: Blue Grass
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2620C
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09CA156
Reported as: Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine: Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 105 total60 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N2620CRegistered now · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 0725 · Built 1987 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETA Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

On 02/01/2009 the pilot of N2620C a R-22B departed georgetown (27K), KY and landed Lexington (lex), KY on a taxiway in front of a private hangar adjacent to air 51 and shut down the helicopter. At 23:50 gmt the pilot started the aircraft and went through his preflight/departure checklist and was ready to depart. The pilot stated “when I applied power the helicopter spun rapidly to the left on the ground three revolutions causing the fin and the tail rotor to strike a snow bank.” this impact and spin on the ground caused damage to the tailrotor blades, tailrotor gearbox, landing gear, tailboom and fuselage.

As the FAA filed it

ON 02/01/2009 THE PILOT OF N2620C A R-22B DEPARTED GEORGETOWN (27K), KY AND LANDED LEXINGTON (LEX), KY ON A TAXIWAY IN FRONT OF A PRIVATE HANGAR ADJACENT TO AIR 51 AND SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER. AT 23:50 GMT THE PILOT STARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND WENT THROUGH HIS PREFLIGHT/DEPARTURE CHECKLIST AND WAS READY TO DEPART. THE PILOT STATED “WHEN I APPLIED POWER THE HELICOPTER SPUN RAPIDLY TO THE LEFT ON THE GROUND THREE REVOLUTIONS CAUSING THE FIN AND THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE A SNOW BANK.” THIS IMPACT AND SPIN ON THE GROUND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TAILROTOR BLADES, TAILROTOR GEARBOX, LANDING GEAR, TAILBOOM AND FUSELAGE.

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 ERA09CA156Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportLexington, KYThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff. Contributing to this accident was the interference of the flight controls by the heavy coat and boots the pilot was wearing.Feb 1, 2009 · Substantial damage