- Date
- March 4, 2008, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Meraux, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N120KCRobinson R-22
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Baton Rouge
- FAA report
- 20080304012549A
- Case key
- 67605
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 ensure calculate weight and balance prior to flight. A contributing factor was the prevailing gusty winds.
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
The commercial pilot attempted to take-off with a passenger on a personal flight. As the helicopter lifted to a two foot hover the helicopter experienced a low rotor warning. The helicopter turned slowly 90 degrees to the north and then subsequently turned 720 degrees rapidly. During the attempted landing, the helicopter bounced, impacted terrain, and rolled over. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The combined weight of the pilot, passenger, and fuel on-board exceeded the maximum takeoff gross weight. In addition, winds in the vicinity of the accident site were from 280 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 19 knots.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot attempted to take-off with a passenger on a personal flight. As the helicopter lifted to a two foot hover the helicopter experienced a low rotor warning. The helicopter turned slowly 90 degrees to the north and then subsequently turned 720 degrees rapidly. During the attempted landing, the helicopter bounced, impacted terrain, and rolled over. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The combined weight of the pilot, passenger, and fuel on-board exceeded the maximum takeoff gross weight. In addition, winds in the vicinity of the accident site were from 280 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N120KC
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3064
- Airframe hours
- 3,424
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Meraux, LA
- Destination
- Meraux, LA
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 100 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KNBG, 10 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.