- Date
- January 22, 2018, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cahokia, IL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N989HHHelicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180122006109A
- Case key
- 96643
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 student pilot's failure to maintain yaw control while landing in gusting crosswind conditions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Findings · 5
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 the student pilot was performing a normal approach to a hover with a quartering gusting headwind. He added that he "reminded" the student of the need to anticipate right pedal input as they applied power to terminate to a hover. Subsequently, the student pilot did not add sufficient "right pedal," and the helicopter immediately and very rapidly yawed to the left. The flight instructor said, "my controls," and attempted to recover, but the helicopter continued to spin counterclockwise, touched down, and then rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor system. The flight instructor and student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 170° at 11 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The student pilot attempted to hover on runway 12L.
Factual narrative
The helicopter flight instructor reported that, the student pilot was performing a normal approach to a hover with a quartering gusting headwind. He added that, he "reminded" the student of the need to anticipate right pedal input as they applied power to terminate to a hover. Subsequently, the student pilot did not add sufficient "right pedal", and the helicopter immediately and very rapidly yawed to the left. The flight instructor said, "my controls" and attempted to recover, but the helicopter continued to spin counterclockwise, touched down and rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor system. The flight instructor and student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident that the wind was from 170° at 11 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The student pilot attempted to hover on runway 12L.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N989HH
- Reported as
- Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1124
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 850.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- D H Helicopter Inc
- Registered owner
- D H Helicopter Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 5, 2017
- Departed
- CPS · Cahokia, IL
- Destination
- CPS · Cahokia, IL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CPS · St Louis Downtown, runway 12L, 5,301 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 203 total · 75 in this make and model · 119 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 16, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,015 total · 5 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- KCPS
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.