- Date
- December 9, 2021, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- McKinney, TX · on ramp
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N666JSCHR International Safari 400
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20211209021269A
- Case key
- 104380
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 did not remove the cyclic control lock during preflight, which resulted in a loss of control during the initial hover.
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 reported that he drove from his home to the airport not expecting to fly the helicopter due to high winds, however, after arrival at the hangar the winds were lighter than the forecast winds, so he conducted a preflight for a local flight. As the pilot raised the collective for takeoff and the helicopter climbed into an initial hover, the helicopter rolled to the left. The pilot tried to counter the roll but was unable because the cyclic control lock was still in place. The helicopter continued to roll left and impacted the ramp and a post impact fire ensued. The pilot successfully egressed the helicopter but suffered serious burn injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system and the cabin. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N666JS
- Reported as
- CHR International Safari 400
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CH406
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 75
- Engine
- Lycoming YIO-360-EXP, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 21, 2021 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- TKI · McKinney, TX
- Destination
- TKI · McKinney, TX
- Airport
- TKI · Mckinney Ntl
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 59
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 16,568 total · 10 in this make and model · 9,200 as pilot in command · 118 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KTKI, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KTKI 092253Z 20007KT 10SM CLR 24/11 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP080 T02440106
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.