- Date
- February 26, 2017, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N864MHEurocopter EC130
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170226004329A
- Case key
- 94802
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 abrupt cyclic/pitch attitude control movement, which resulted in a Fenestron ground strike.
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 pilot of the helicopter reported that, during the hover-taxi for departure in the ramp area, he was monitoring another helicopter that had just departed and then "brought [his] eyes inside [the helicopter]" to switch a radio frequency. As the pilot looked back outside, he observed "the nose of a big plane taxiing" from behind another parked airplane to his left. Subsequently, the pilot abruptly applied aft cyclic to stop the helicopter's forward momentum, and the Fenestron struck the ramp. The pilot returned to the ramp area without further incident. The Fenestron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that during the hover taxi for departure in the ramp area, he was monitoring another helicopter that had just departed and then "brought [his] eyes inside [the helicopter]" to switch a radio frequency. As the pilot looked back outside, he observed "the nose of a big plane taxiing" from behind another parked airplane to his left. Subsequently, the pilot abruptly applied aft cyclic to stop the helicopter's forward momentum and the Fenestron struck the ramp. The pilot returned to the ramp area without further incident. The Fenestron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N864MH
- Reported as
- Eurocopter EC130 (B4)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4616
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 9,339
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B1, 747 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Maverick Helicopters Inc.
- Registered owner
- Maverick Helicopters Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 14, 2017
- Departed
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- LAS · Mc Carran Intl
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, ADS-B
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 23, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,039 total · 1,962 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- KLAS
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 3, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.