20130805014769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Versteeg Robert H JR HELICYCLE · Richland, WA · August 5, 2013

Date
August 5, 2013 · 11:10 local
Place
Richland, WA
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N234RV
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR13LA360
Reported as
Versteeg Robert H JR Helicycle
Reported engine
Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,183 total10 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

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.

The pilot reported that while in a hover about ten feet above the ground, the helicopter began to spin to the right and he was unable to stop the rotation. Subsequently, the helicopter struck a hangar with the main rotor. The aircraft received substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN A HOVER ABOUT TEN FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ROTATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A HANGAR WITH THE MAIN ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB investigation

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