- Date
- November 28, 2009, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Indian Key, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N324GSRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: 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
- 20091128051679A
- Case key
- 75108
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 secure the collective control prior to departing the helicopter, which resulted in an unmanned departure and subsequent crash 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
According to the pilot, he landed in order to examine his helicopter due to the intermittent illumination of a warning light. After landing, he reduced the throttle to "70 percent," exited the helicopter, and began a visual inspection as the helicopter continued to run. During the inspection, the helicopter initiated a takeoff, which the pilot could not arrest from outside the cockpit. The helicopter climbed to approximately 150 feet altitude and flew about 1,800 feet before it descended and collided with water. The pilot was seriously injured during the takeoff, and the helicopter was substantially damaged during collision with the water. The pilot stated that he failed to secure the collective control, and added, "There was nothing wrong with the helicopter."
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he landed in order to examine his helicopter due to the intermittent illumination of a warning light. After landing, he reduced the throttle to "70 percent," exited the helicopter, and began a visual inspection as the helicopter continued to run. During the inspection, the helicopter initiated a takeoff, which the pilot could not arrest from outside the cockpit. The helicopter climbed to approximately 150 feet altitude and flew about 1,800 feet before it descended and collided with water. The pilot was seriously injured during the takeoff, and the helicopter was substantially damaged during collision with the water. The pilot stated that he failed to secure the collective control, and added, "There was nothing wrong with the helicopter."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N324GS
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3307
- Airframe hours
- 261
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- G & S Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- G & S Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2009 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Islamorada, FL
- Destination
- Islamorada, FL
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
- 76
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 14, 2009
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 350 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- MTH, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 24 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.