- Date
- January 8, 2026, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mobile, AL · Embankment near 3618 Bay Front Road, Mobile, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3722TSled Thomas Helicycle
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2026
- 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
- 20260108000669A
- Case key
- 202302
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 yaw control during a crosswind approach, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, an uncommanded spin, hard landing, and 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 reported that during the approach to land at an off-airport location, the helicopter entered an uncommanded right rotation. He attributed the loss of control to unfavorable winds and described the event as consistent with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. He was unable to regain control, and the helicopter continued to descend in a spiraling right spin before it impacted the ground and rolled over. As a result, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3722T
- Reported as
- Sled Thomas Helicycle
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 02-018
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 1,225.5
- Engine
- Solar T62-T-32, 150 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · February 15, 2016
- Departed
- N/A · Dauphin Island, AL
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, 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
- 73
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 205 total · 89.9 in this make and model · 120.7 as pilot in command · 1.7 in the last 90 days · 1.4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.99 inHg
- Observed at
- BFM, 1 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBFM 082053Z 16008KT 10SM FEW035 23/18 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP156 T02280183 56019
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 18.2 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.