- Date
- October 12, 2017, 23:35 local (Oct 13, 2017, 04:35 UTC)
- Place
- Canton, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N140SFEurocopter Deutschland MBB BK 117
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20171012016659A
- Case key
- 96194
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 flight instructor's incorrect cyclic control during a hover, which resulted in a hard 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 helicopter flight instructor reported that he was training a new company pilot at night, and they were using night vision goggles. He added that, while in a hover, he attempted to demonstrate the use of the controllable search light to the pilot in the right seat. The flight instructor added that, "to adjust the light, I took the [left] cyclic in my left hand which would normally be holding the left collective and attempted to reach the control switch for the light and grabbed the throttles of the right collective with my right hand. My right hand would normally be on the left cyclic." He further added that he then inadvertently pushed down on the collective, and the helicopter began to settle on the runway. He reported that in response "[his] reflex was to pull up with [his] left hand (which would normally be on the collective)," and when he did so the helicopter moved rearward. Subsequently, he "pushed the cyclic forward to correct" the rearward movement, but in doing so, the helicopter touched down hard, and the main rotor impacted the upper wire strike protection unit. The main rotor sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter flight instructor reported that he was training a new company pilot at night, and they were using night vision goggles. He added that, while in a hover, he attempted to demonstrate the use of the controllable search light to the pilot in the right seat. The flight instructor added that, "to adjust the light, I took the [left] cyclic in my left hand which would normally be holding the left collective and attempted to reach the control switch for the light and grabbed the throttles of the right collective with my right hand. My right hand would normally be on the left cyclic." He further added that, he then inadvertently pushed down on the collective and the helicopter began to settle on the runway. He reported in response "my reflex was to pull up with my left hand (which would normally be on the collective)," and when he did so the helicopter moved rearward. Subsequently, he "pushed the cyclic forward to correct" the rearward movement, but in doing so, the helicopter touched down hard and the main rotor impacted the upper wire strike protection unit. The main rotor sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140SF
- Reported as
- Eurocopter Deutschland MBB BK 117 (C-2)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 9389
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 3,156.9
- Engines
- Turbomeca/ Safran ARRIEL 1E2, 760 horsepower, turbo shaftTurbomeca/ Safran ARRIEL 1E2, 760 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Osf Aviation LLC.
- Registered owner
- Bb&T Equipment Finance Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 2, 2017
- Departed
- PIA · Peoria, IL
- Destination
- CTK · Canton, IL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- CTK · Ingersoll, runway 36, 3,899 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Satellite tracking device, Auto-pilot, Video recording device
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 6,933 total · 1,130 in this make and model · 5,845 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 15, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,888 total · 11 in this make and model · 3,650 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KCTK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.