# NTSB CEN12LA325: Robinson Helicopter R44 II, N1UB, Peoria, IL, May 27, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 27, 2012, 06:30 local (11:30 UTC) - Place: Peoria, IL - Coordinates: 40.795276, -89.613334 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7953&lon=-89.6133&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83783 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA325 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83783/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83783 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA325 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of control while hover-taxiing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was repositioning the helicopter from the ramp area to a taxiway from where he intended to depart. He stated that after hover-taxiing about 30 yards to the east-northeast he made a left turn toward the north. He reported that, during this turn, the helicopter encountered a wind gust that elevated the tail boom to the point where the forward portion of the landing skids made contact with the tarmac. The helicopter landed hard after the pilot lowered the collective in response to the loss of control. The tail boom, tail rotor, and main rotor impacted the tarmac during the hard landing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. A postaccident review of the available weather reports established that the prevailing wind was from 190 degrees at 5 knots. No wind gusts were reported during the 1-hour time period surrounding the accident. In the absence of any appreciable wind gusts, the pilot should have been able to maintain control of the helicopter while hover-taxiing. ## Factual narrative On May 27, 2012, at 0630 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company model R44 II, N1UB, was substantially damaged while hover-taxiing at Mount Hawley Auxiliary Airport (3MY), Peoria, Illinois. The pilot and 2 passengers were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Green Aircraft Leasing, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was operated without a flight plan. The cross-country flight to Joliet, Illinois, was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that he was repositioning the helicopter from the fixed-base operator ramp area to the airport's north/south taxiway where he intended to make a southerly departure. He stated that after hover-taxiing about 30 yards to the east-northeast he made a left turn toward north. He reported that during this turn the helicopter encountered a wind gust that elevated the tail boom to the point where the forward portion of the landing skids made contact with the tarmac. The helicopter landed hard after the pilot lowered the collective in response to the loss of control. The tail boom, tail rotor, and main rotor impacted the tarmac during the hard landing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. The closest weather observation station was at the General Downing - Peoria International Airport (KPIA), located about 8 miles south-southwest of the accident site. At 0654, the KPIA automated surface observation system reported the following weather conditions: wind 190 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 miles; clear skies; temperature 23 degrees Celsius; dew point 18 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.97 inches of mercury. The weather observation station also recorded the following 1-minute wind data: At 0630, wind from 193 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 194 degrees at 6 knots At 0631, wind from 191 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 195 degrees at 5 knots At 0632, wind from 190 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 189 degrees at 6 knots At 0633, wind from 190 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 188 degrees at 7 knots At 0634, wind from 190 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 188 degrees at 6 knots At 0635, wind from 188 degrees at 5 knots; peak wind from 187 degrees at 6 knots A postaccident review of available wind data did not reveal any wind gusts during the one-hour time period surrounding the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: N1UB (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 11980 - Airframe hours: 541 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 245 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Green Aircraft Leasing, Inc. - Registered owner: Green Aircraft Leasing, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 2011, 49 hours before - Departed: 3MY, Peoria, IL - Destination: PVT, Joliet, IL - Airport: 3MY, Mount Hawley Auxiliary Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 9, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 2,476 total, 323 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KPIA, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120527008859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120527008859A), May 27, 2012: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Peoria, IL, Substantial damage. The aircraft was in a taxi hover and a "gust of wind" caused the tail rotor to strke the ground. The aircraft then nosed over and the main rotor blades struck… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83783. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 622 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371439&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - NTSB Email Correspondence With Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371440&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Email%20Correspondence%20With%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Written Statement Provided To FAA (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371441&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Written%20Statement%20Provided%20To%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 4, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371442&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Weather/Wind Reports (item 5, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371443&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%2FWind%20Reports-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.