- Date
- July 31, 2009, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N267BCBingham Chuck Rotorway 1
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090731049239A
- Case key
- 74416
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 control of the helicopter while hovering in gusting wind conditions.
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
After lifting off, the pilot stated that he encountered a strong gust of wind from the west while making a hovering turn to the east. The main rotor blades contacted the mid-field windsock pole, and the helicopter collided with the ground. The pilot suffered minor injuries, and the passenger was unharmed. The helicopter received substantial damage. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter before the accident.
Factual narrative
After lifting off, the pilot stated that he encountered a strong gust of wind from the west while making a hovering turn to the east. The main rotor blades contacted the mid-field windsock pole, and the helicopter collided with the ground. The pilot suffered minor injuries, and the passenger was unharmed. The helicopter received substantial damage. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N267BC
- Reported as
- Bingham Chuck Rotorway 1
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6523
- Airframe hours
- 81
- Engine
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- June 2, 2009
- Departed
- RYY · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- RYY · Atlanta, GA
- Airport
- RYY · Cobb County Airport, runway 27, 6,305 × 100 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
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,060 total · 463 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KRYY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.