# NTSB CEN24LA005: Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2, N354MH, Cahokia Heights, IL, October 2, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 2, 2023, 15:57 local (20:57 UTC) - Place: Cahokia Heights, IL - Coordinates: 38.576285, -90.165069 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5763&lon=-90.1651&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193183 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193183/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193183 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA005 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control which resulted in impact with the ground. ## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=9000001), [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: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=9000001), [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. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=9000001), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The operator reported that the student pilot had completed three solo touch and go landings and was returning to land on the ramp. While approaching the parking area, he was distracted by two aircraft on the ramp, and the helicopter began an uncontrolled yaw. The student pilot lowered the collective and arrested the yaw, but as the helicopter entered ground effect, he raised the collective, and the uncontrolled yaw resumed. The helicopter impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor, and tail rotor. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N354MH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N354MH), registered now, S/N 1149, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HELICOPTERES GUIMBAL CABRI G2 - Registry model: [Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2](https://openairdocs.org/model/helicopteres-guimbal-cabri-g2) (registry code 9000001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-J2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-j2a) (registry code 42314, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1149 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 4467.1 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-J2A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Ideal Aviation, doing business as Ideal Aviation - Registered owner: Mysky LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 21, 2023, 27.1 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: CPS, St. Louis Downtown Airport - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 54 total, 54 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KCPS, 0.5 nm away - METAR: KCPS 022053Z 13003KT 10SM CLR 31/13 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP196 T03060128 56022 $ ## 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 20231002013379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231002013379A), Oct 2, 2023: Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, Cahokia Heights, IL, Substantial damage. The student pilot had completed a supervised solo which included two traffic patterns and landings. After the last landing, he asked for and received ATC… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 3, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193183. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16994922&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1%20%20NTSB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 599 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17000057&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.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.