- Date
- May 12, 2003, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Robinson, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4205DBell 47G-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030512011309A
- Case key
- 56965
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 with the ground while performing a quick stop maneuver which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While performing a quick stop maneuver in the helicopter, the tail rotor contacted the ground, and the helicopter started to move to the right. The pilot "possibly overcorrected to the left, and the helicopter rolled over on its left side." The pilot reported that both tail rotor blades were bent, the main rotor blades were damaged, and the left skid was separated. The pilot did not find any evidence of a tail rotor strike on the ground.
Factual narrative
On May 12, 2003, approximately 0730 central daylight time, a Bell 47G-4 single-engine helicopter, N4205D, sustained substantial damage during a dynamic rollover after the tail rotor impacted the terrain while maneuvering near Robinson, Texas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the pilot's residence approximately 0715.
According to the pilot, he departed his residence and flew to a designated local practice area to practice autorotations, slope landings, and quick stop maneuvers. While performing a quick stop maneuver, the tail rotor contacted the ground, and the helicopter started to move to the right. The pilot stated that he "possibly overcorrected to the left, and the helicopter rolled over on its left side." The pilot reported that both tail rotor blades were bent, the main rotor blades were damaged, and the left skid was separated. The pilot did not find any evidence of a tail rotor strike on the ground. The pilot had accumlated approximately 132 hours in rotorcraft and 87 hours in the accident helicopter make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4205D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3374
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Earl L. Haberman, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Robinson, TX
- Destination
- Waco, TX
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 2,713 total · 87 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.