- Date
- March 20, 2015, 20:00 local (Mar 21, 2015, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Hamilton, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N701CTRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Little Rock FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150320002649A
- Case key
- 90909
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 overcorrection to the landing pad shifting, which resulted in the helicopter impacting trees. A factor contributing to the accident was the collapse of the landing pad.
Findings · 4
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 stated he made an approach and landing to the landing pad. Upon landing, the pilot began reducing power, and reported that the helicopter was stabile for about 3 seconds and then part of the landing pad gave out. The pilot stated that the elevated landing pad has a clay foundation with a shell top and that recent rain may have compromised the landing pad stability. The helicopter rocked backwards and the tail skid struck the ground. The helicopter began rotating to the left and the pilot overcorrected to the right resulting in the helicopter colliding with trees. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom. After multiple requests, the pilot did not turn in the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested. The pilot verified that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he made an approach and landing to the landing pad. Upon landing, the pilot began reducing power, and reported that the helicopter was stabile for about 3 seconds and then part of the landing pad gave out. The pilot stated that the elevated landing pad has a clay foundation with a shell top and that recent rain may have compromised the landing pad stability. The helicopter rocked backwards and the tail skid struck the ground. The helicopter began rotating to the left and the pilot overcorrected to the right resulting in the helicopter colliding with trees. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom. After multiple requests, the pilot did not turn in the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested. The pilot verified that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N701CT
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1161
- Built
- 2002
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Heien Britt
- Registered owner
- Heien Britt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Stuttgart, AR
- Destination
- Lake Hamilton, AR
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
- 41
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KHOT, 10 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 26, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 920 KB 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.