- Date
- September 16, 2006, 10:41 local (14:41 UTC)
- Place
- Port Clinton, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N530FFMD Helicopters 369FF
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Cleveland, OH, FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060916026839A
- Case key
- 64608
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 not maintaining clearance from the water during the survey flight. A factor was the low altitude the survey flight was flown at.
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 experimental research and developmental helicopter's left boom impacted water during an offshore low level survey flight. The pilot's accident report stated, "While flying an easterly course line at approximately 25 knots over calm surface conditions, a course correction to the left was initiated with 2 degrees of left bank angle. This resulted in the left boom tip touching the surface of the water. The nose of the helicopter pitched down causing the main rotor blades to strike the water. The helicopter became inverted, sinking immediately. The elapsed time between the boom tip contacting the water and the helicopter becoming inverted was approximately three seconds." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the survey flight.
Factual narrative
The experimental research and developmental helicopter's left boom impacted water during an offshore low level survey flight. The pilot's accident report stated, "While flying an Easterly course line at approximately 25 knots over calm surface conditions, a course correction to the left was initiated with 2 degrees of left bank angle. This resulted in the left boom tip touching the surface of the water. The nose of the helicopter pitched down causing the main rotor blades to strike the water. The helicopter became inverted, sinking immediately. The elapsed time between the boom tip contacting the water and the helicopter becoming inverted was approximately three seconds." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the survey flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N530FF
- Reported as
- MD Helicopters 369FF
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0140FF
- Airframe hours
- 2,819
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250-C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Flight LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2006
- Departed
- PCW · Port Clinton, OH
- Destination
- PCW
- 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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,650 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 12,650 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- ONZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.