- Date
- April 9, 2011, 22:30 local (Apr 10, 2011, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Charles, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N372LERobinson R22
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 12, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Baton Rouge FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110409006709A
- Case key
- 78868
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 loss of control of the helicopter while in 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
The helicopter was in a stabilized hover into the wind on the approach end of the runway for about 15 to 20 seconds. The pilot was preparing to move the cyclic forward to start the helicopter into forward flight when the nose began a slight uncommanded turn to the right. The pilot added more left pedal, but the helicopter quickly picked up momentum and speed until the helicopter was spinning out of control. The pilot then lowered the collective pitch lever and the helicopter struck the runway surface, resulting in substantial damage. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On March 9, 2011, about 2230 central daylight time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter, N372LE, was substantially damaged when it impacted the runway at Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH), Lake Charles, Louisiana. The helicopter was registered to Bend Helicopter Partners, LLC., and operated by Performance Helicopters, LLC. Dark night marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 solo training flight. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The local flight had originated about 2130. According to the pilot, he had been in a stabilized hover on the approach end of the runway for about 15 to 20 seconds. He was preparing to move the cyclic forward to start the helicopter into forward flight when the nose began a slight uncommanded turn to the right. The pilot added more left pedal, but the helicopter quickly picked up momentum and speed until the helicopter was spinning out of control. The pilot then lowered the collective pitch lever and the helicopter struck the runway surface. The tail rotor hub and both tail rotor blades separated and the main rotor blades and tail boom showed impact damage. The helicopter came to rest upright and there were numerous 360 degree swirl marks on the runway surface. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N372LE
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3272
- Airframe hours
- 2,399
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Performance Helicopters LLC
- Registered owner
- Bend Helicopter Partners LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LCH · Lake Charles, LA
- Destination
- LCH · Lake Charles, LA
- Airport
- LCH · Lake Charles Regional Airport, runway 15, 6,500 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 268 total · 21 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KLCH
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 17, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 MB 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.