- Date
- November 14, 2009, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pahokee, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N74632Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091114052059A
- Case key
- 75054
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.
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 stated that he had just landed and hover taxied to a fuel station. He established himself in a hover approximately 20 feet southwest of the fuel station, noting that the windsock indicated a strong quartering headwind. While he was hovering, he encountered a gust of wind. The helicopter began to yaw to the right and the nose lowered. The pilot was unable to regain control and the main rotor blades struck a concrete pole. The helicopter rolled onto its right side, substantially damaging the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tail. The winds recorded at closest reporting station about the time of the accident were from 020 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 15 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he had just landed and hover taxied to a fuel station. He established himself in a hover approximately 20 feet southwest of the fuel station, noting that the windsock indicated a strong quartering headwind. While he was hovering, he encountered a gust of wind. The helicopter began to yaw to the right and the nose lowered. The pilot was unable to regain control and the main rotor blades struck a concrete pole. The helicopter rolled onto its right side, substantially damaging the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tail. The winds recorded at closest reporting station about the time of the accident were from 020 degrees at 11 knots, with gusts to 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74632
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3963
- Airframe hours
- 2,800
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Palm Beach Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Spitzer Matt DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 20, 2009 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- OBE · Okeechobee, FL
- Destination
- PHK · Pahokee, FL
- Airport
- PHK · Palm Beach County Glades
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 24, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 67 total · 67 in this make and model · 20 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- OBE, 30 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 554 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.