- Date
- January 31, 2017, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Armstrong, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N883KCRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 4, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170131000839A
- Case key
- 94678
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 remove the left helicopter skid tie-down before takeoff, which resulted in dynamic roll-over.
Findings · 3
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 helicopter pilot reported that, during takeoff from a trailer, the tie-down remained attached to the left skid and that the helicopter experienced a dynamic roll-over. The helicopter rolled off the trailer to the left and impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that during takeoff from a trailer, the tie-down remained attached to the left skid and the helicopter experienced dynamic rollover. The helicopter rolled off the trailer to the left and impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N883KC
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4354
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 2,181.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 19, 2017
- Departed
- Armstrong, TX
- Destination
- Armstrong, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Equipment
- None
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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- August 19, 2015
- Flight hours
- 7,800 total · 7,200 in this make and model · 7,600 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KEBG, 23 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.