- Date
- July 12, 2006, 17:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1831ASchweizer 300C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 64110
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the certificated flight instructor (CFI) to maintain control of the helicopter, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the dual student's improper use of the cyclic trim.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The first pilot, a certificated helicopter flight instructor, was providing primary helicopter flight instruction to the second pilot, a certificated commercial airplane pilot. The first pilot said that while in a stable 3-foot hover above ground, he asked the second pilot to relinquish control of the helicopter so he could demonstrate a maneuver. During the transfer of control, the cyclic slipped from the first pilot's hand, and the cyclic traveled to a full forward position. The helicopter pitched nose down, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter subsequently rolled to the right, and sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, main rotor blades, and fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the helicopter revealed that the second pilot had inadvertently selected the cyclic trim system to the full forward position. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The first pilot, a certificated helicopter flight instructor, was providing primary helicopter flight instruction to the second pilot, a certificated commercial airplane pilot. The first pilot said that while in a stable 3-foot hover above ground, he asked the second pilot to relinquish control of the helicopter so he could demonstrate a maneuver. During the transfer of control, the cyclic slipped from the first pilot's hand, and the cyclic traveled to a full forward position. The helicopter pitched nose down, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter subsequently rolled to the right, and sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, main rotor blades, and fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the helicopter revealed that the second pilot had inadvertently selected the cyclic trim system to the full forward position. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1831A
- Reported as
- Schweizer 300C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0228
- Airframe hours
- 412
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-G1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Adventures Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2006 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 268 total · 201 in this make and model · 204 as pilot in command · 93 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 372 total · 2 in this make and model · 340 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Other investigations on N1831A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.