- Date
- February 1, 2003, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N528EERobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Fort Lauderdale FSDO-17
- Case key
- 56423
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 private pilots improper use of flight controls during a run on landing resulting in a roll over.
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 private pilot was demonstrating a run on landing to the check pilot. The helicopter touched down in the sod area adjacent to runway 08 in a level attitude at or above effective translational lift. During the deceleration the left front skid contacted an unknown object which slowed the helicopter rapidly. The private pilot lunged forward in his seat and inadvertently moved the cyclic forward and to the left and increased collective pitch. The helicopter pivoted around the toe of the left skid and rolled over on its left side before he or the check pilot could take any corrective action. The private pilot stated the helicopter did not experience any mechanical failure or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On February 1, 2003, at 0945 eastern standard time, a Robinson R22 helicopter, N528EE, registered to a private owner, leased to Heliflight Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with an unknown object on the ground during a run on landing at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and sustained substantial structural damage to the cabin and tailboom assembly. The private pilot and airline transport rated check pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 0830.
The private pilot stated he was demonstrating a run on landing to the check pilot. The helicopter touched down in the sod area adjacent to runway 08 in a level attitude at or above effective translational lift. During the deceleration the left front skid contacted "something" which slowed the helicopter rapidly. The pilot stated he lunged forward in his seat and inadvertently moved the cyclic forward and to the left and increased collective pitch. The helicopter pivoted around the toe of the left skid and rolled over on its left side before he or the check pilot could take any corrective action. He further stated the helicopter did not experience any mechanical failure or malfunction.
Examination of the crash site did not identify the unknown object that the helicopter collided with.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N528EE
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0528
- Airframe hours
- 10,621
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Heliflight
- Registered owner
- Matthew L. Spitzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 16, 2003 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Airport
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale Executive
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- January 13, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 244 total · 117 in this make and model · 159 as pilot in command · 78 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21,500 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 21,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- FXE
Other investigations on N528EE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.