- Date
- May 8, 1994, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Stone Mountain, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N54BARobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 3381
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 pilot's improper vertical takeoff in that he allowed the helicopter to drift rearward, and his failure to maintain clearance from the wire.
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 helicopter had been landed in a residential cul-de-sac. It remained parked there while the pilot and his passenger ate at a nearby residence. The pilot reported that a telephone wire was located behind, and about 20 feet above the aircraft. On departure, the tail rotor contacted the wire when the pilot lowered the nose to begin the transition from a hover to forward flight. After contacting the wire, the pilot experienced directional control problems and an autorotation was made back to the street. The helicopter landed hard, which resulted in spreading the skids and bending the helicopter frame. According to the pilot, the tail rotor was mangled.
Factual narrative
On May 8, 1994, about 1945 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22B, N54BA, collided with a telephone line during takeoff near Stone Mountain, Georgia. The helicopter was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. There were no injuries to the private pilot, nor his passenger, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time.
According to the pilot, the helicopter was landed on a street in a residential area. On departure from the landing site, the tail rotor contacted a telephone line which was located behind the helicopter, about 20 feet above the curb. The pilot said that the collision occurred when he lowered the nose of the helicopter to initiate the transition to forward flight. After the collision, directional problems were experienced with the helicopter and an autorotation was made back to the street, which resulted in a hard landing.
A Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report NTSB Form 6120.1/2 was not received from the operator.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54BA
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1888
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Beegle, Phillip H., Jr.
- Registered owner
- Great Southeastern Acft Leasin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 800 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PDK, 12 nm away
Other investigations on N54BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.