- Date
- June 7, 2016, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chireno, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N41407Robinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Landing: Roll over
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA, Robinson Helicopter Company
- FAA report
- 20160607006339A
- Case key
- 93352
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 pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over during landing, and substantial damage to the tail boom.
Findings · 6
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 student helicopter pilot reported that during a local flight he diverted his attention to the navigational equipment and removed his hand from the cyclic. He reported that he lost control of the helicopter and believed the helicopter became inverted. He further reported that he presumed that he had damaged the rotor system and elected to make a precautionary landing by entering an autorotation. During the landing, the left helicopter skid touched down on uneven terrain and the helicopter rolled over, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The manufacturer provided a test flight video that showed what will occur when the Helicopter's cyclic is released in forward flight. Per the video, in forward flight, should the pilot release the cyclic, the helicopter will pitch up and roll left.
Factual narrative
The student helicopter pilot reported that during a local flight he diverted his attention to the navigational equipment and removed his hand from the cyclic. He reported that he lost control of the helicopter and believed the helicopter became inverted. He further reported that he presumed that he had damaged the rotor system and elected to make a precautionary landing by entering an autorotation. During the landing, the left helicopter skid touched down on uneven terrain and the helicopter rolled over, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The manufacturer provided a test flight video that showed what will occur when the Helicopter's cyclic is released in forward flight. Per the video, in forward flight, should the pilot release the cyclic, the helicopter will pitch up and roll left.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41407
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 12424
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 460.5
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE145, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 2016
- Departed
- San Augustine, TX
- Destination
- OCH · Nacogdoches, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 4, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 319 total · 31 in this make and model · 265 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KOCH, 19 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.