- Date
- May 24, 2002, 12:03 local (18:03 UTC)
- Place
- Cheyenne, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N25BAHelio H-391B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 6, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020524011099A
- Case key
- 54884
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.
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 pilot said there was "a slight crosswind from the left at 10 knots" as he rolled out onto the right side of runway 26 (9,200 feet x 150 feet, concrete, grooved). As the tail wheel lifted off and the front gear started getting "light," a gust of wind started turning the airplane into the wind. Just prior to liftoff, the right gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway, buckling the right forward fuselage and firewall. Wind at the time of the accident was from 190 degrees at 13 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 24, 2002, at 1203 mountain daylight time, a Helio H-391B, N25BA, was substantially damaged when the airplane ground looped during takeoff at Cheyenne Airport, Cheyenne, Wyoming. The private pilot was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, a VFR flight plan had been filed but had not activated, and a special VFR departure clearance had been obtained. The personal flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, and was en route to Logan, Utah.
According to the pilot's accident report, there was "a slight crosswind from the left at 10 knots" as he rolled out onto the right side of runway 26 (9,200 feet x 150 feet, concrete, grooved). As the tail wheel lifted off and the front gear started getting "light," a gust of wind started turning the airplane into the wind. Just prior to liftoff, the right gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway between taxiways B4 and B5.
The following recorded weather conditions existed at the time of the accident: wind, 190 degrees at 13 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; ceiling, 800 feet broken, 13,000 feet overcast; temperature 3 degrees C. (37.4 degrees F.); dew point, 0 degrees C. (32 degrees F.); altimeter setting, 30.10.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed right wing damage from the root to the tip. The fixed right landing gear had collapsed, buckling the right forward fuselage and firewall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25BA
- Reported as
- Helio H-391B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 011
- Engine
- Lycoming G0-435C2B2-6, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clifford Hickson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CYS · Cheyenne, WY
- Destination
- LGU · Logan, UT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CYS · Cheyenne, runway 26, 9,200 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 230 total · 143 in this make and model · 172 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- CYS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 342 KB 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.
Other investigations on N25BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.