- Date
- September 23, 2024, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ravenel, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N153LARobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240923013399A
- Case key
- 195175
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 clearance from terrain, which resulted in the right skid contacting the ground and a subsequent rollover.
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
The pilot reported that he was performing low altitude practice maneuvers in a pasture. While performing a quick stop maneuver, the pilot stated that he didn’t realize how close he was to the ground. During the maneuver, the right skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The rollover and subsequent impact with terrain resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N153LA
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 13422
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1,882.86
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 8, 2024 · 21.46 hours before
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 29, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,782 total · 76 in this make and model · 1,782 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- CHS, 12 nm away
- METAR
- KCHS 232356Z 15007KT 10SM FEW030 FEW250 26/23 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP133 T02560228 10317 20256 51001
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.