- Date
- March 13, 2024, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Knox City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3040PRobinson Helicopter R44
- 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
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240313002029A
- Case key
- 193935
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 during takeoff, which resulted in a rollover and an impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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
During takeoff in the helicopter, the pilot reduced collective control input. Once the skids began to lift off the ground, the pilot felt the helicopter spin to the left. The pilot applied corrective right pedal input and pulled up on the collective. Once the skids were off the ground, the helicopter spun harder to the left, and the pilot could not overcome the spin. The helicopter rolled onto its side, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom, fuselage, and main rotors. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3040P
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1802
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 2,598
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cedar Ridge Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 21, 2023
- Destination
- RPH · Graham, TX
- Airport
- F75 · Harrison Field
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 20, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 125 total · 125 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- KF05, 54 nm away
- METAR
- KF05 131735Z AUTO 24018KT 10SM CLR 26/05 A2972 RMK A02 T02550046
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.0 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.