- Date
- August 26, 2011, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Batesville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N99FJRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110826026299A
- Case key
- 81729
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 inadequate preflight inspection that failed to ensure all tie-down clamps were removed prior to takeoff, which resulted in the helicopter’s dynamic rollover.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, the helicopter was positioned on a trailer with clamps and blade holders. He stated that, during the preflight inspection, he forgot to remove the clamp that held the left skid to the trailer. During takeoff, the tie-down clamp did not give way and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover. The helicopter rolled to the left and impacted the ground, where it sustained structural damage.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the helicopter was positioned on a trailer with clamps and blade holders. The pilot added that during the preflight inspection, he forgot to remove the clamp, which held the left skid to the trailer. During takeoff, the tie-down clamp did not give way and the helicopter encountered dynamic rollover. The helicopter rolled to the left and impacted the ground. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed structural damage to the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99FJ
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0059
- Airframe hours
- 5,294
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 30, 2011
- Departed
- Batesville, TX
- Destination
- Batesville, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 99 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KUVA, 24 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 303 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.