- Date
- July 13, 2009, 13:53 local (17:53 UTC)
- Place
- Bedford, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N211SHRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090713011709A
- Case key
- 74263
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 flight instructor's inadequate remedial action while conducting hover practice with a student pilot, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over when it contacted the ground.
Findings · 3
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
According to the certificated flight instructor, he was performing hover practice with the student pilot in a grassy area beside a taxiway. During the practice, the helicopter climbed to approximately 20 feet above ground level, and then the instructor advised the student to position the helicopter at a lower altitude. The instructor stated that the helicopter began “a high rate of descent which [he] was unable to arrest prior to ground contact.” He also said that the helicopter developed a “dynamic rolling moment that full down collective was unable to stop.” The helicopter rolled and came to rest on its left side, substantially damaging the tail boom, skids, and main rotor. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
According to the certificated flight instructor, he was performing hover practice with the student pilot in a grassy area beside a taxiway. During the practice, the helicopter climbed to approximately 20 feet above ground level, and then the instructor advised the student to position the helicopter at a lower altitude. The instructor stated that the helicopter began “a high rate of descent which [he] was unable to arrest prior to ground contact.” He also said that the helicopter developed a “dynamic rolling moment that full down collective was unable to stop.” The helicopter rolled and came to rest on its left side, substantially damaging the tail boom, skids, and main rotor. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N211SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3992
- Airframe hours
- 2,085
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- East Coast Aero Club
- Registered owner
- Plane Nonsense Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 2009
- Departed
- BED · Bedford, MA
- Destination
- BED · Bedford, MA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BED · Laurence G. Hanscom Field Airp
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 4, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,064 total · 887 in this make and model · 980 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 20 total · 20 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- BED
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB 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.