- Date
- February 14, 2014, 15:13 local (21:13 UTC)
- Place
- Bonham, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N494SHRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140214001559A
- Case key
- 88806
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 recovery from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a low altitude downwind hover in a gusty wind condition resulting in the helicopter contacting the ground and rolling over.
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
The pilot flew locally about 40 minutes on an aerial observation flight. He reported that the helicopter was positioned upwind when he began flying crosswind over a tree line and it descend between 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The pilot stopped the helicopter's descent and forward speed to make a left pedal turn. While in a stabilized and "stationary" downwind hover for about two to three seconds, the helicopter suddenly pitched forward without cyclic input and it started to move forward and descend. For about one to two seconds the helicopter continued to accelerate forward while losing more altitude. The pilot was unable to stop the helicopter's forward movement with neither full aft cyclic nor the descent by adding power to the engine's red line. He decided to make a right turn into the wind with right pedal and cyclic where further altitude was lost. The front of the right skid came in contact with the ground and the helicopter settled onto its right side after the main rotor struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial tail boom damage. The pilot indicated that the helicopter was within weight and balance limits and that there was no mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot flew locally about 40 minutes on an aerial observation flight. He reported that the helicopter was positioned upwind when he began flying crosswind over a tree line and it descended to between 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The pilot stopped the helicopter's descent and forward speed to make a left pedal turn. While in a stabilized and "stationary" downwind hover for about two to three seconds, the helicopter suddenly pitched forward without cyclic input and it started to move forward and descend. For about one to two seconds the helicopter continued to accelerate forward while losing more altitude. The pilot was unable to stop the helicopter's forward movement with neither full aft cyclic nor the descent by adding power to the engine's red line. He decided to make a right turn into the wind with right pedal and cyclic where further altitude was lost. The front of the right skid came in contact with the ground and the helicopter settled onto its right side after the main rotor struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial tail boom damage. The pilot indicated that the helicopter was within weight and balance limits and that there was no mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N494SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10878
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 1,775
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- GoCopter
- Registered owner
- Ihde Investments Lp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 7, 2013
- Departed
- Bonham, TX
- Destination
- Bonham, TX
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 894 total · 369 in this make and model · 807 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KDUA, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.
Other investigations on N494SH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.