- Date
- August 26, 2009, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- White Plains, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N22ZABell 206L-3
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- 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
- 20090826051219A
- Case key
- 74604
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 disconnect the ground power unit prior to takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 stated that during takeoff from a dolly, the helicopter nosed down, contacted the ground, and collapsed the landing skids. Post-accident inspection revealed that the helicopter had not been disconnected from the ground power unit (GPU) prior to take off. The company did not have any written procedures regarding the placement or operation of the GPU. On this flight, the GPU had been placed behind the helicopter due to its "proximity to the taxiway." The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that during takeoff from a dolly, the helicopter nosed down, contacted the ground, and collapsed the landing skids. Post-accident inspection revealed that the helicopter had not been disconnected from the ground power unit (GPU) prior to take off. The company did not have any written procedures regarding the placement or operation of the GPU. On this flight, the GPU had been placed behind the helicopter due to its "proximity to the taxiway." The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22ZA
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51207
- Airframe hours
- 7,206
- Engine
- Rolls Royce 250 C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Itai Shoshani
- Registered owner
- Zip Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 16, 2009
- Departed
- HPN · White Plains, NY
- Destination
- 6N5 · 34 St. Heliport, NY
- Airport
- HPN · Westchester County Airport
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 22, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,250 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 3,200 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- HPN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 689 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.