- Date
- April 20, 2003, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ardmore, OK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2341ZRobinson R-22 Beta
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20030420008019A
- Case key
- 56866
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 directional control during liftoff. A contributing factor was the inadvertent encounter of propeller blast from the other airplane starting at the time of takeoff.
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
The pilot stated he pulled the helicopter out of the hangar and faced it north into the light wind behind an airplane that was facing south. During lift off, the helicopter "suddenly moved forward." The pilot then heard a "scraping sound," as the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. The pilot further stated that as the helicopter lifted off, the airplane located behind the helicopter started its engine. The propeller blast from the parked airplane created a tailwind which the pilot did not expect and could not compensate.
Factual narrative
On April 20, 2003, at 0900 central daylight time, a Robinson R-22 BETA helicopter, N2341Z, registered to and operated by Litchfield flying LTD, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was substantially damaged when it rolled over during takeoff from Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport (1F0), near Ardmore, Oklahoma. The airline transport rated pilot and his passenger were not injured. 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 was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot, who had a total of 49 hours in the accident helicopter, reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that he pulled the helicopter out of the hangar and faced it north into the light wind directly behind a Cessna 172 that was facing south. During lift off, the helicopter "suddenly moved forward." He then heard a "scraping sound," and the helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. The pilot also reported that, just as the helicopter lifted off, the engine of the Cessna was started. The ensueing propeller blast from the Cessna created a tailwind relative to the helicopter. The pilot did not expect the wind blast and was unable to control the helicopter.
An examination of the helicopter, by an FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that both main rotor blades, both tail rotor blades, and the tail boom sustained structural damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2341Z
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2188
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Ardmore, OK
- Airport
- 1F0 · Ardmore Downtown Executive
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
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,180 total · 49 in this make and model · 9,703 as pilot in command · 159 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- 1F0
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.