- Date
- August 17, 2014, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hayesville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N752ECRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Case key
- 89985
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, and adequate clearance, which resulted in a collision with a hangar.
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, after landing the helicopter in front of a hangar, the helicopter began to rise and tilt. He increased the collective and "over corrected" with the cyclic, which resulted in the main rotor impacting the hangar. The helicopter settled onto the concrete apron and rolled over resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, after landing the helicopter in front of a hangar, the helicopter began to rise and tilt. He increased the collective and "over corrected" with the cyclic, which resulted in the main rotor impacting the hangar. The helicopter settled onto the concrete apron and rolled over resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor blades. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N752EC
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2028
- Built
- 2009
- Airframe hours
- 545
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Don Johnston
- Registered owner
- MAHC Properties
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 13, 2013
- Departed
- Hayesville, NC
- Destination
- Hayesville, NC
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,850 total · 31 in this make and model · 1,850 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- RHP
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 893 KB in all.