- Date
- July 9, 2018, 20:20 local (Jul 10, 2018, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Rulo, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N144DJRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180709009429A
- Case key
- 97724
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 collective application, which resulted in low rotor rpm during the takeoff climb and a subsequent ground collision. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to complete the operation.
Findings · 4
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
According to the helicopter pilot, he was performing a night agricultural flight. During takeoff from a platform located on top of the tender, his collective application was too aggressive, and during the ascent, the engine sputtered. The engine rpm and main rotor rpm decreased, and he tried to regain the rpm by lowering the collective. The helicopter was moving forward and descending, so he applied aft cyclic to arrest the forward movement, and he attempted to land. The left skid touched down in the soft dirt, and the pilot applied aft cyclic to prevent a nose-over, but the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter rolled forward, and its nose spun left before the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage the fuselage, tail rotor drive system, and skid tubes. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had not been in a hurry to complete the operation and that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the helicopter pilot, he was performing a night agricultural flight. During takeoff from a platform located on top of the tender, his collective application was too aggressive, and during the ascent the engine sputtered. The engine RPM and main rotor RPM decreased, and he tried to regain the RPMs by lowering the collective. The helicopter was moving forward and descending, so he applied aft cyclic to arrest the forward movement, and he attempted to land. The left skid touched down in the soft dirt and the pilot applied aft cyclic to prevent a nose over, but the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter rolled forward, and the nose of the helicopter spun to the left before the helicopter came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage the fuselage, tail rotor drive system and skid tubes. Additionally, the pilot asserted that the accident could have been prevented if he would not have been in a hurry to complete the operation. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N144DJ
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2467
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 767
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Cedar Ridge Aviation, doing business as Cedar Ridge Aviation
- Registered owner
- Dustin Johnson Aviation LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 5, 2018
- Departed
- Rulo, NE
- Destination
- Rulo, NE
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 31, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 7,380 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KFNB, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 14, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.