- Date
- September 27, 2011, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N982DHRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Roll over
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110927022359A
- Case key
- 81913
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 certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent rollover.
Findings · 1
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that she had relocated the helicopter from a dolly to the taxiway in order for the student to conduct the takeoff from the taxiway. The student pilot took control of the helicopter and lifted the collective, and the helicopter began to roll to the right. The CFI stated that she lowered the collective and applied left cyclic, but the helicopter continued to roll to the right. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The CFI reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that she had relocated the helicopter from a dolly to the taxiway in order for the student to conduct the takeoff from the taxiway. The student pilot took control of the helicopter and lifted the collective, and the helicopter began to roll to the right. The CFI stated that she lowered the collective and applied left cyclic, but the helicopter continued to roll to the right. The helicopter came to rest on its right side and sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. The CFI reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N982DH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0982
- Airframe hours
- 1,876
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-540 SERIES, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Razor Blades Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Need 2 Fly Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 24, 2010
- Departed
- PIE · Clearwater, FL
- Destination
- PIE · Clearwater, FL
- Airport
- PIE · St. Petersburg-Clearwater Intl
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 6, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,762 total · 288 in this make and model · 1,683 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 8, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 700 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 314 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.