- Date
- April 3, 2015, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Davis, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8363DRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Settling with power/vortex ring state
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Lubbock FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150403003869A
- Case key
- 90977
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 control of the helicopter during flight, which resulted in the helicopter impacting terrain.
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 was positioning the helicopter to have the sole passenger take a photograph of an animal and a settling with power condition occurred. The pilot stated that a gust of wind came from a nearby hill and began to push the helicopter toward the ground so the pilot conducted a running landing to an open field. During the landing, the pilot reported that the helicopter struck an anthill and rolled sideways. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom. 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 was positioning the helicopter to have the sole passenger take a photograph of an animal and a settling with power condition occurred. The pilot stated that a gust of wind came from a nearby hill and began to push the helicopter toward the ground so the pilot conducted a running landing to an open field. During the landing, the pilot reported that the helicopter struck an anthill and rolled sideways. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to 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
- N8363D
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2745
- Built
- 1997
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Fort Davis, TX
- Destination
- Fort Davis, TX
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Last flight review
- August 30, 2013
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 2,800 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRF, 11 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.6 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.