- Date
- February 19, 2019, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N512GSRobinson R22
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190219010379A
- Case key
- 99001
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 failure to maintain sufficient altitude over uneven terrain during a hover taxi, which resulted in ground contact and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
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 flight instructor in the skid-equipped helicopter, he was going to demonstrate a maneuver to his airplane-rated student. The instructor reported that he air taxied the helicopter to the departure end of the runway. He then slowed down the helicopter, and while turning and hover taxiing over the grassy area between the taxiway and the runway, the right skid's toe contacted the uneven ground. The helicopter pivoted around the toe and rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor systems. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor in the skid-equipped helicopter, he was going to demonstrate a maneuver to his airplane rated student. The instructor reported that he air taxied the helicopter to the departure end of the runway. He then slowed the helicopter down and while turning and hover taxiing over the grass area between the taxiway and the runway, the toe of the right skid contacted the uneven ground. The helicopter pivoted around the toe and rolled onto its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor systems. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N512GS
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2836
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 7,017.1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 132 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Tampa Bay Aviation
- Registered owner
- Clearwater Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 2019
- Departed
- CLW · Clearwater, FL
- Destination
- CLW · Clearwater, FL
- Airport
- CLW · Clearwater Air Park, runway 16, 4,108 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 897 total · 521 in this make and model · 789 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 10, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,232 total · 21 in this make and model · 1,126 as pilot in command · 107 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KPIE, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.