- Date
- April 26, 1996, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ardmore, OK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5226Bell 47D1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 6, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960426008929A
- Case key
- 19823
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 student's inadvertent dynamic rollover, and inadequate supervision by the flight instructor.
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
During a familiarization flight with a flight instructor, the pilot-rated student landed the helicopter in tall grass approximately 50 feet short of the intended touchdown point. While attempting to take off with 'the right skid embedded in soft earth,' the helicopter 'rolled to the right and came to rest on its side.' The pilot-rated student held a German private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating.
Factual narrative
On April 26, 1996, about 1830 central daylight time, a Bell 47D1 helicopter, N5226, registered to a private owner, and operated by Versatile Aviation as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, was substantially damaged when it rolled over on takeoff at Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport, Ardmore, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight instructor and his pilot rated student were not injured. The familiarization flight originated from Ardmore, Oklahoma, about 15 minutes before the accident.
The flight instructor and the operator reported that, during a familiarization flight, the private pilot landed the helicopter in tall grass approximately 50 feet short of the intended touchdown point. While attempting to takeoff with "the right skid embedded in soft earth," the helicopter "rolled to the right and came to rest on its side." The pilot rated student holds a German private pilot certificate with a helicopter rating.
An examination of the helicopter by the operator revealed that the main rotor blades and head assembly sustained substantial damage. The cabin and bubble assembly were also damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5226
- Reported as
- Bell 47D1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 37
- Airframe hours
- 14,396
- Engine
- Franklin O-335-5D, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Versatile Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Randall Hickman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 22, 1996 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- IF0
- Airport
- 1F0 · Downtown Ardmore Exec
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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 224 in this make and model · 373 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5226 · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.