- Date
- July 25, 2008, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Rosharon, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2330YRobinson R22
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080725841679A
- Case key
- 68523
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 terrain clearance while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude.
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 pilot was maneuvering a single-engine helicopter at a low altitude over a rice field when the tail rotor "dipped into the rice causing it to fail." As a result, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground hard on the skids causing the main rotor blade to flex down and sever the tail boom. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot said, "There is very little margin for error and no time to correct with the ground so close. There is a reason why operating in the shaded area is discouraged." He also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot was maneuvering a single-engine helicopter at a low altitude over a rice field when the tail rotor "dipped into the rice causing it to fail." As a result, he lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground hard on the skids causing the main rotor blade to flex down and sever the tail boom. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot said, "There is very little margin for error and no time to correct with the ground so close. There is a reason why operating in the shaded area is discouraged." He also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2330Y
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2148
- Engine
- Lycoming -320 CB, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- William T. Skinner
- Registered owner
- Southern Texas Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Danbury, TX
- Destination
- NONE · Rosharon, TX
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.