- Date
- February 5, 2005, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Minneapolis, MN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7091CRobinson R44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Minneapolis, MN FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050205001449A
- Case key
- 60960
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and his failure to maintain control of the helicopter while maneuvering to center the helicopter on a cart. A factor associated with the accident was the wind gusts.
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 rolled over following a loss of control while maneuvering. The pilot reported he was landing on a cart when the accident occurred. He reported the helicopter touched down, and he was attempting to raise the helicopter to center it on the cart, when a gust of wind caused the helicopter to roll to the right. The right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The pilot stated the cart is approximately 6 to 8 inches high. He also stated that when the helicopter is centered on the cart there is approximately 1 foot of clearance between the outside of each skid and the edge of the cart. The local winds reported at ANE at the time of the accident were from 160 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots. The airport manager reported that helicopters are prohibited from hover taxiing between the hangars on the airport. The pilot reported they land the helicopter on a cart which they then tow into the hangar using an all terrain type vehicle.
Factual narrative
On February 5, 2005, at 1700 central standard time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N7091C, collided with the terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport (ANE), Minneapolis, Minnesota. The commercial rated pilot and two passengers were not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions on a visual meteorological rules flight plan. The flight originated from Menomonie, Wisconsin, at 1600.
The pilot reported he was landing on a cart when the accident occurred. He reported the helicopter touched down, and he was attempting to raise the helicopter to center it on the cart, when a gust of wind caused the helicopter to roll to the right. The right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its right side.
The airport manager at ANE reported that the helicopters are prohibited from hover taxiing between the hangars on the airport. The pilot reported they land the helicopter on a cart which they then tow into the hangar using an all terrain type vehicle.
The pilot stated the cart is approximately 6 to 8 inches high. He also stated that when the helicopter is centered on the cart there is approximately 1 foot of clearance between the outside of each skid and the edge of the cart.
The local winds reported at ANE at the time of the accident were from 160 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7091C
- Reported as
- Robinson R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0617
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- H & K Builders, Inc.
- Registered owner
- H & K Builders, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- W11 · Menomonie, WI
- Destination
- ANE · Anoka, MN
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,827 total · 912 in this make and model · 45 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.