- Date
- October 19, 2001, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Jeffersonville, IN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N840WABell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 4, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Indianapolis, Indiana FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011019030669A
- Case key
- 53666
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 dual student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, his failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the terrain, and the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor. A factor was the gusty wind condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was damaged when it impacted the ground and burned while hovering. The helicopter was piloted by a certified flight instructor (CFI) and dual student. The student was the holder of a private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating. In a written report, the dual student said that he raised the helicopter up to a hover and rotated 90 degrees with the helicopter facing downwind. He said that the helicopter seemed somewhat unstable in the gusty tailwind. He said that the helicopter came up in the front and then he felt a vibration in the tail. He said that the helicopter turned and the left skid impacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. In a written report, the CFI said that, after a rudder turn when the helicopter was facing downwind, the student, "...very abruptly pitched the nose up reacting to the wind behind him. The abrupt pitch attitude allowed the tail to strike the ground." The CFI said that the aircraft was uncontrollable at that point and ultimately rolled onto its left side. A weather reporting station located about 9 miles and 157 degrees from the accident site recorded the winds as 10 knots gusting to 18 knots from 230 degrees at 1553. No anomalies were found with respect to the helicopter and none were reported.
Factual narrative
On October 19, 2001, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2 helicopter, N840WA, piloted by a certified flight instructor (CFI) and dual student, was substantially damaged on impact with terrain and subsequent fire while hovering at the Clark County Airport, Jeffersonville, Indiana. The student was the holder of a private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was not on a flight plan. The CFI and student received minor injuries. The local flight originated at 1540.
In a written report, the dual student said that they were practicing rudder turns. He said that he raised up to a hover, rotated 90 degrees and then set the helicopter back down on the ground. He said he then raised up to a hover again and rotated 90 degrees with the helicopter facing downwind. He said that the helicopter seemed somewhat unstable in the gusty tailwind. He said that the helicopter came up in the front and then he felt a vibration in the tail. He said that the helicopter turned and the left skid impacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its left side.
In a written report, the CFI said that, after a rudder turn when the helicopter was facing downwind, the student, "...very abruptly pitched the nose up reacting to the wind behind him. The abrupt pitch attitude allowed the tail to strike the ground." The CFI said that the aircraft was uncontrollable at that point and ultimately rolled onto its left side.
A weather reporting station located about 9 miles and 157 degrees from the accident site recorded the winds as 10 knots gusting to 18 knots from 230 degrees at 1553.
A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. The report filed by the CFI listed no mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N840WA
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 16,755
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Whirl Away Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 25, 2001 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- JVY · Jeffersonville, IN
- Airport
- JVY · Clark County
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 43 in this make and model · 32 as pilot in command
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- November 29, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 160 in this make and model · 3,030 as pilot in command · 107 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- LOU, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.