- Date
- April 25, 2014, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Liberty, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N32VBRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140425016179A
- Case key
- 89130
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 directional control while operating in gusty wind conditions at a low altitude.
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
Upon arrival at the destination airport, the pilot hovered the helicopter about 2 feet above the ground and prepared to land. The pilot noted that during the hover while the nose of the helicopter was pointed east, the wind shifted direction and gusted from the west. The helicopter's tail section raised and the nose lowered, which allowed the main rotor blades to strike the ground. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the scene; an examination of the helicopter was conducted and did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that if he had kept the helicopter's nose pointed into the wind then the accident might not have occurred.
Factual narrative
Upon arrival at the destination airport, the pilot hovered the helicopter about 2 feet above the ground and prepared to land. The pilot noted that during the hover while the nose of the helicopter was pointed east, the wind shifted direction and gusted from the west. The helicopter's tail section raised and the nose lowered, which allowed the main rotor blades to strike the ground. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the scene; an examination of the helicopter was conducted and did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that if he had kept the helicopter's nose pointed into the wind then the accident might not have occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32VB
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10636
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 1,217
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Eid-Co
- Registered owner
- Eid-Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 2013 · 42 hours before
- Departed
- POF · Poplar Bluff, MO
- Destination
- 0N0 · Liberty, MO
- Airport
- 0N0 · Roosterville
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 25, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,088 total · 713 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KMCI, 13 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.