- Date
- May 11, 2023, 09:27 local (13:27 UTC)
- Place
- Bradenton, FL · field
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N62HTRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- 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 FSDO
- Case key
- 149067
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 adequate rotor rpm during landing which resulted in a premature landing on uneven ground and a subsequent rollover.
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 of the helicopter reported that while he was on approach to land, he attempted to slow his descent by pulling aft on the cyclic and increased the collective pitch. The low rotor rpm horn sounded as he was beginning to hover in ground effect, and he then began to fly forward slowly. At 20 knots, the low rotor rpm horn sounded again, and his altitude increased to 40 ft above ground level. The rotor speed did not recover, and the helicopter descended until it landed on an uneven berm. The helicopter then pitched forward, the main rotor blades impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The helicopter’s tail boom was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62HT
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 13709
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 3,933.51
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Registration Pending
- Registered owner
- Registration Pending
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 2023
- Departed
- SRQ · Sarasota, FL
- Destination
- Same as departure
- 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 78.1 total · 78.1 in this make and model · 44.1 as pilot in command · 46.6 in the last 90 days · 7.9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- SRQ, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KSRQ 111353Z 12009KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP170 T02780200
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.7 MB in all.