- Date
- November 15, 2010, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4034ZHiller-Rogerson Helicopter UH12E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Settling with power/vortex ring state
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101115051819A
- Case key
- 77809
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 encounter with a settling with power condition while he was performing slow, low-level, out-of- ground-effect flight maneuvers.
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 helicopter pilot, he was completing north-south herbicide spray patterns with wind varying from east to south at 4 to 5 mph. As the pilot positioned the helicopter for the next northern track, after completing his turn, he began to feel it lose altitude. The pilot stated that he tried to regain control by pushing forward the cyclic and lowering the collective in an effort to get out of the settling with power. When ground contact was imminent, he raised the collective to cushion the impact. The helicopter touched down, spun, and rolled onto its left side. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
According to the helicopter pilot, he was completing north-south herbicide spray patterns with winds varying from the east to south at 4 to 5 mph. As the pilot positioned the helicopter for the next northern track, he "began to feel the aircraft start to lose altitude after the turn." The pilot stated that he tried to regain control by pushing forward the cyclic and lowering the collective to "get out of the settling with power." When ground contact was imminent, he raised the collective to cushion the impact. The helicopter touched down, spun, and rolled onto its left side. Post-accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4034Z
- Reported as
- Hiller-Rogerson Helicopter UH12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5196
- Airframe hours
- 9,002
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce C-20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Summit Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Summit Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 15, 2010
- Departed
- Madison, FL
- Destination
- Madison, FL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 29, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 694 total · 464 in this make and model · 626 as pilot in command · 181 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- 40J, 19 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 3, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 641 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.
Other investigations on N4034Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.