- Date
- July 7, 2017, 00:34 local (05:34 UTC)
- Place
- Topeka, KS
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N650HPBell 407
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170707015359A
- Case key
- 95516
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 clearance from a building during landing.
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 a hover taxi while using night vision goggles, he "pedal turned facing the west to line up with [the] landing lines painted on the ramp." He added that he looked under his goggles and observed the right painted mark under the right skid and noted that he estimated that the helicopter was about 6 ft above the ground. He then looked back through his goggles to land the helicopter. The tactical field officer that was on board the helicopter advised the pilot that they needed to move forward. The pilot further reported that he "tried to move forward but nothing happened at which time [he] felt a sudden jolt and then [heard] the noise of the tail rotor strike." The helicopter struck a building and then impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 a hover taxi under night vision goggles, he "pedal turned facing the west to line up with [the] landing lines painted on the ramp". He added that, he looked under his goggles and observed the right painted mark under the right skid, and noted that he estimated that they were about 6 ft above the ground. He then looked back into his goggles to land the helicopter. The tactical field officer that was on board the helicopter advised the pilot that they needed to move forward. The pilot further reported that he "tried to move forward but nothing happened at which time [he] felt a sudden jolt and then [heard] the noise of the tail rotor strike". The helicopter impacted a building then impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N650HP
- Reported as
- Bell 407 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 53665
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 2,752
- Engine
- Rolls Royce 250-C47B, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - state · Public use
- Operator
- Kansas Highway Patrol
- Registered owner
- Kansas Highway Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · February 15, 2017
- Departed
- TOP · Topeka, KS
- Destination
- TOP · Topeka, KS
- Airport
- TOP · Philip Billard Muni
- Equipment
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 17, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,295 total · 271 in this make and model · 1,034 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KTOP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.