20210130001879A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R66 · Knoxville, TN · January 30, 2021

Date: January 30, 2021 · 09:30 local
Place: Knoxville, TN
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N660TN
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA121
Reported as: Robinson Helicopter R66
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C300/A1
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,839 total186 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N660TNRegistration cancelled Apr 22, 2025 · Robinson Helicopter R66S/N 0565 · Built 2014 Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R66 Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C300/A1Turbo-shaft

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 1/30/2021 at approximately 0930L, N660TN was attempting to take off from a private residence in Knoxville, TN. The aircraft was parked at an approximante heading of 120 degrees. The aircraft took off to a low hover and turned to the left to an approximate heading of 050 degrees. During the turn the aircraft was allowed to drift rearward with a nose high attitude causing the left skid to penetrate into the soil to approximately 22 inches in depth. The aircraft rolled to the right causing the main rotor system to impact the ground.

Examination of the aircraft revealed no abnormalities. Continuity of the flight controls were maintained and no indications of a tail rotor failure were present. Nothing remarkable to note with the main rotor system and blades as well as the tail rotors and drive systems.

Additionally, it should be noted that the tlof/fato being utilized is sloping in nature and not the ideal size based on the helicopter being operated.

As the FAA filed it

ON 1/30/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 0930L, N660TN WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN KNOXVILLE, TN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARKED AT AN APPROXIMANTE HEADING OF 120 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF TO A LOW HOVER AND TURNED TO THE LEFT TO AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 050 DEGREES. DURING THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALLOWED TO DRIFT REARWARD WITH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE CAUSING THE LEFT SKID TO PENETRATE INTO THE SOIL TO APPROXIMATELY 22 INCHES IN DEPTH. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM TO IMPACT THE GROUND.

EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. CONTINUITY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE MAINTAINED AND NO INDICATIONS OF A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE WERE PRESENT. NOTHING REMARKABLE TO NOTE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM AND BLADES AS WELL AS THE TAIL ROTORS AND DRIVE SYSTEMS.

ADDITIONALLY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE TLOF/FATO BEING UTILIZED IS SLOPING IN NATURE AND NOT THE IDEAL SIZE BASED ON THE HELICOPTER BEING OPERATED.

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 ERA21LA121Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportKnoxville, TNThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter, which resulted in rear portion of the right skid contacting the ground and a subsequent dynamic rollover.Jan 30, 2021 · Substantial damage