- Date
- April 22, 1990, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Prnc Frederick, MD
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N2580ERobinson R22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900422010579A
- Case key
- 11587
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 planning/decision by not shutting down the engine or assuring the helicopter was properly attended,when he deplaned.
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
After the passenger boarded the helicopter, the plt deplaned with the eng idling, so he could remove the passenger door. He engaged the friction lock on the collective & told the passenger, who was not a plt, to keep the cyclic centered. As the plt was removing the passenger door, he heard the eng sound change. The helicopter then lifted off about 3 ft & spun right until the tail rotor struck the ground. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled over & crashed. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was rprtd.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2580E
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0636
- Airframe hours
- 2,204
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Steven Phillips Aviation
- Registered owner
- Nico Aircraft Leasing Co. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 6, 1990 · 87 hours before
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 206 total · 194 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DCA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.