20111026025439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aircraft · Mattituck, NY · October 26, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: October 26, 2011 · 18:14 local
Place: Mattituck, NY
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Ultralight vehicle (Part 103)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: NONE
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 44 in this make and model

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.

Airman was flying a mosquito xel ultralight amphibious helicopter. Airman and vehicle were on the beach near his house, about one half mile away. At 4:45 pm, the airman attempted to start the engine to return home. A mechanical problem existed, and the airman left the vehicle on the beach, returning later and repairing it. At 6:05 pm, the airman took off, and hover taxied over the water and marsh to his house. En route, the gear snagged an unknown object and the ultralight helicopter experienced dynamic rollover. This flight, which was after dark, was in violation of 103.11. Airman was bruised and scraped, and the vehicle was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS FLYING A MOSQUITO XEL ULTRALIGHT AMPHIBIOUS HELICOPTER. AIRMAN AND VEHICLE WERE ON THE BEACH NEAR HIS HOUSE, ABOUT ONE HALF MILE AWAY. AT 4:45 PM, THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE TO RETURN HOME. A MECHANICAL PROBLEM EXISTED, AND THE AIRMAN LEFT THE VEHICLE ON THE BEACH, RETURNING LATER AND REPAIRING IT. AT 6:05 PM, THE AIRMAN TOOK OFF, AND HOVER TAXIED OVER THE WATER AND MARSH TO HIS HOUSE. EN ROUTE, THE GEAR SNAGGED AN UNKNOWN OBJECT AND THE ULTRALIGHT HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC ROLLOVER. THIS FLIGHT, WHICH WAS AFTER DARK, WAS IN VIOLATION OF 103.11. AIRMAN WAS BRUISED AND SCRAPED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.