- Date
- December 5, 2017, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Pierce, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N99RWRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171205022769A
- Case key
- 96436
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a tail strike and 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 pilot reported that, while hovering to land on a helipad, the tail struck the ground. He added that the helicopter landed hard and rolled over onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor blades, and tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 10 knots.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, while hovering to land on a helipad, the tail struck the ground. He added that the helicopter landed hard and rolled over onto the left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor blades, and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99RW
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0793
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 2,559
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Atlas Aviation Lp
- Registered owner
- Atlas Aviation Lp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 24, 2017
- Departed
- BCT · Boca Raton, FL
- Destination
- FPR · Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport
- FPR · Treasure Coast Intl
- 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
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KFPR, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.