- Date
- August 29, 2011, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Menominee, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N228FEnstrom F-28F
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110829020209A
- Case key
- 81763
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 control of the helicopter during a hover.
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 purpose of the company test flight was to measure collective stick forces with the collective bias disabled. The pilot, who was the helicopter's only occupant, lifted the helicopter into a hover and then hovered clear of any obstacles. He reported that the collective controls were heavy, as expected, but the helicopter was very controllable. During his attempt to position a force gauge between his hand and the collective grip, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and it landed hard onto the ramp. The helicopter's tail rotor blades impacted the ramp and the helicopter came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the helicopter showed that the tail rotor blades were bent and the tail rotor driveshaft was sheared. The pilot reported that he should have taken an observer or other personnel on the flight to assist while he concentrated on flying the helicopter.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the purpose of the company test flight was to measure collective stick forces with the collective bias disabled. The pilot, who was the helicopter's only occupant, lifted the helicopter into a hover and then hovered clear of any obstacles. He reported the collective controls were heavy as expected, but the helicopter was very controllable. During his attempt to position a force gauge between his hand and the collective grip, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and it landed hard onto the ramp. The helicopter's tail rotor blades impacted the ramp and the helicopter came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the helicopter showed the tail rotor blades were bent, and the tail rotor drive shaft was sheared. The pilot reported he should have taken an observer or other personnel on the flight to assist while he concentrated on flying the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N228F
- Reported as
- Enstrom F-28F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 819
- Airframe hours
- 232
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Enstrom Helicopter Corp
- Registered owner
- Enstrom Helicopter Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 29, 2010
- Departed
- MNM · Menominee, MI
- Destination
- MNM · Menominee, MI
- Airport
- MNM · Menominee-Marinette Twin City
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 5, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 152 in this make and model · 1,970 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 793 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.