- Date
- June 14, 2021, 10:54 local (14:54 UTC)
- Place
- Sylva, NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N443SHRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210614009559A
- Case key
- 103264
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 intentional departure from the procedures published in the manufacturer’s flight training guide, and his subsequent loss of engine rpm, rotor rpm, and aircraft control.
Findings · 3
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 demonstrating emergency procedures and non-standard maneuvers in the helicopter to a new hire pilot and a company sales representative. After several simulated engine failures and autorotations, the pilot initiated a “quick stop” maneuver. The maneuver he performed did not comport with the published procedure in the manufacturer’s flight training guide, and in some cases contradicted the factory guidance in the pilot’s admittedly “slightly modified maneuver.” The pilot initiated the maneuver about 40 ft. above the runway with about 40 knots airspeed. He reduced throttle, which was not directed, added left pedal, which was opposite of that directed, the engine and rotor rpm decayed, and the helicopter descended. The pilot said that he could not recover the engine or rotor rpm prior to the collision with the runway, which substantially damaged the helicopter. The 3 occupants of the helicopter egressed without injury. The pilot stated there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter that would have prevented normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N443SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10306
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 6,170
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AF1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Tunica Helicopters, doing business as Leading Edge Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Spitzer Helicopter LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 29, 2021 · 94 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 24A · Jackson County, runway 15/33, 3,210 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,977 total · 1,897 in this make and model · 6,742 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 15, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 250 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- K1A5, 12 nm away
- METAR
- METAR K1A5 141455Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/20 A3003 RMK AO2 P0001 60002 T02720201
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 103 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.