- Date
- December 18, 2009, 13:38 local (19:38 UTC)
- Place
- Abilene, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N442RSRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Case key
- 75187
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 failure to maintain directional control during the air taxi with shifting winds.
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
While air-taxiing the helicopter away from the runway, the helicopter encountered an unexpected gust of wind while passing near a hangar. The private pilot lost control of the helicopter and was unable to regain control before the helicopter's tail rotor impacted the ground. The helicopter subsequently landed hard and remained in the upright position. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured. An onscene examination of the helicopter by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors failed to reveal any preimpact anomalies. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Factual narrative
While air-taxiing the helicopter away from the runway, the helicopter encountered an unexpected gust of winds while passing near a hanger. The private pilot lost control as the helicopter, and was unable to regain control before the helicopter's tail rotor impacted the ground. The helicopter subsequently landed hard and remained in the upright position. Neither the pilot or passenger were injured. An on-scene examination of the helicopter by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors failed to reveal any pre-impact anomalies. On the NTSB Form 6120.1 submitted by the private pilot, there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N442RS
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11035
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Price Family Holdings LLC
- Registered owner
- Price Family Holdings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Big Spring, TX
- Destination
- ABI · Abilene, TX
- Airport
- ABI · Abilene Regional
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,431 total · 562 in this make and model · 3,222 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KABI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 555 KB in all.