- Date
- June 12, 2013, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Morgantown, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7057HHughes TH-55A
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Settling with power/vortex ring state
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130612023169A
- Case key
- 87181
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 inadequate planning which resulted in an encounter with settling with power and descent into terrain during takeoff.
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 pilot was attempting to reposition the helicopter from an off-airport site in advance of an approaching storm. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot climbed the helicopter into a hover and turned toward his intended departure path. He then pushed the cyclic control forward and increased the collective pitch in order to clear some approaching trees. The pilot then realized that “appropriate power” was not available, and turned right in order to avoid the trees. The helicopter subsequently settled with power and impacted the brush below, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter, nor were any discovered during a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine. The pilot additionally stated that the accident could have been prevented with “better situational awareness.”
Factual narrative
The pilot was attempting to reposition the helicopter from an off-airport site in advance of an approaching storm. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot climbed the helicopter into a hover and turned toward his intended departure path. He then pushed the cyclic control forward and increased the collective pitch in order to clear some approaching trees. The pilot then realized that “appropriate power” was not available, and turned right in order to avoid the trees. The helicopter subsequently settled with power and impacted the brush below, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter, nor were any discovered during a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The pilot additionally stated that the accident could have been prevented with “better situational awareness.”
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7057H
- Reported as
- Hughes TH-55A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-15399
- Airframe hours
- 4,217
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- DAH Aircraft LLC
- Registered owner
- DAH Aircraft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2012
- Departed
- NONE · Morgantown, WV
- Destination
- 79D · Philippi, WV
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 281 total · 228 in this make and model · 255 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- MGW, 6 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.2 MB 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.