- Date
- April 29, 2009, 13:52 local (18:52 UTC)
- Place
- Harlingen, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N2560QRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- Case key
- 73752
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 decision to leave the helicopter unattended with the engine running in gusty wind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After landing the helicopter, the pilot set the cyclic and collective friction locks and left the helicopter "running" while he and his passenger disembarked the helicopter. After being left unattended for about two minutes, the helicopter began to lift-off and subsequently impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that the friction locks were still found engaged after the helicopter impacted the terrain. Winds in the vicinity of the accident were from the southeast at 21 gusting to 30 knots. According to the manufacturer, the cyclic and collective frictions are designed to allow the pilot to remove their hands from the controls to perform the cockpit portion of the preflight and post flight operations. A "caution" in the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook states, "Never leave helicopter flight controls unattended while engine is running." In addition the pilot operating handbook has a safety notice issued November 1984, which states, "Never exit helicopter with engine running. Several accidents have occurred when pilot momentarily left their helicopters unattended with the engine running and rotors turning. The collective can creep up, increasing both pitch and throttle, allowing the helicopter to lift off or roll out of control."
Factual narrative
After landing the helicopter, the pilot set the cyclic and collective friction locks and left the helicopter "running" while he and his passenger disembarked the helicopter. After being left unattended for about two minutes, the helicopter began to lift-off and subsequently impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that the friction locks were still found engaged after the helicopter impacted the terrain. Winds in the vicinity of the accident were from the southeast at 21 gusting to 30 knots. According to the manufacturer, the cyclic and collective frictions are designed to allow the pilot to remove their hands from the controls to perform the cockpit portion of the preflight and postflight operations. A "caution" in the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook states, "Never leave helicopter flight controls unattended while engine is running." In addition, the pilot operating handbook has a safety notice issued November 1984, which states, "Never exit helicopter with engine running. Several accidents have occurred when pilot momentarily left their helicopters unattended with the engine running and rotors turning. The collective can creep up, increasing both pitch and throttle, allowing the helicopter to lift off or roll out of control."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2560Q
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0614
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Harlingen, TX
- Destination
- Harlingen, TX
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 10,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 21 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- HRL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 39 KB in all.