# NTSB ERA20LA037: Mosquito XE, Seffner, FL, November 2, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 2, 2019, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Seffner, FL - Coordinates: 27.983612, -82.275558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9836&lon=-82.2756&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100570 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20LA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100570/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100570 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA037 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while landing, which resulted in a hard landing and dynamic rollover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of helicopter experience. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) - [Training: total instruct/training recvd](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031510): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231); cases with it: [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot, who did not hold a helicopter rating, stated that when he was trying to land his single-seat, unregistered experimental helicopter, he landed too fast and the main rotor blade flexed and struck the tail before the helicopter rolled over. The pilot's neighbor stated that the pilot purchased the helicopter about 6 months before the accident, and he would practice taking off from her property, located behind his house. She said that the helicopter landed hard and began "bouncing around" before it flipped over and crashed. The pilot reported that the helicopter had accrued 16 hours at the time of the accident and that there were no mechanical deficiencies that contributed to the accident. ## Factual narrative On November 2, 2019, about 1310 eastern standard time, an unregistered experimental, amateur-built Mosquito XE285 helicopter, sustained substantial damage while attempting to land at a private residence in Seffner, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured. The helicopter was owned by the pilot and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the residence about 1255. The pilot stated he landed too fast and the main rotor blade flexed down and struck the tail. The helicopter then rolled over. The pilot's neighbor stated that the pilot purchased the single-seat helicopter about 6 months before the accident, and he would practice taking off on her property located behind his house. She said that she watched him "land hard and began bouncing around." The helicopter continued to bounce, before it flipped over and crashed. The single-seat helicopter was manufactured in 2019 and had accrued a total of 16 flight hours at the time of the accident. The pilot was not rated in helicopters, but did hold a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on January 15, 2015. At that time, he reported a total of 200 flight hours. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter prior to the accident. At 1335, weather at Tampa Executive Airport (VDF), located about 15 miles northwest of the accident site, was reported as calm wind, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft, broken clouds at 4,500 ft, overcast clouds at 6,000 ft, temperature 27°C, dew point 22° C, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.01 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: MOSQUITO XE (285) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: MXE1330E18B - Year built: 2019 - Airframe hours: 16 - Engines: Inntec 800 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: None, Seffner, FL - Destination: None, Seffner, FL - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2019; seat: center; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 200 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: VDF, 15 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100570. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 408 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484225&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Witness Statements from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484226&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20from%20the%20Hillsborough%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Office-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 662 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484227&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.