- Date
- July 4, 2017, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Easton, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3025JRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170704009889A
- Case key
- 95498
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 distraction during liftoff due to the tail rotor chip warning light illuminating, which resulted in the helicopter drifting right, the skid touching down, and a 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 liftoff, the tail rotor chip warning light illuminated "and distracted me for a moment." The helicopter drifted to the right, the right skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft, the horizontal stabilizer, and the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that during lift off, the tail rotor chip warning light illuminated, "and distracted me for a moment." The helicopter drifted to the right, the right skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over on to its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft, the horizontal stabilizer and the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3025J
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11801
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KBLM · Belmar/Farmingd, NJ
- Destination
- N43 · Easton, PA
- Airport
- N43 · Braden Airpark, runway 36, 1,956 × 165 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 9, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,527 total · 691 in this make and model · 1,338 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KABE, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.