- Date
- July 16, 2019, 17:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Council Bluff, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N124LARobinson R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Roll over
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190716023559A
- Case key
- 99869
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 cyclic input during liftoff from a landing deck, which resulted in the right skid hooking onto an opening on the landing deck and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
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 pilot reported that, while lifting off from a landing deck on top of an industrial truck, the helicopter's right rear skid hooked into an opening on the deck. The helicopter dynamically rolled right and impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotor systems, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, while lifting off from a landing deck on top of an industrial truck, the right rear skid hooked into an opening on the deck. The helicopter dynamically rolled right and impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotor systems, fuselage, and empennage. The helicopter pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N124LA
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 (II)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 12199
- Built
- 2008
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Rotors Llc
- Registered owner
- Rotors Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 2019
- Departed
- Council Bluff, IA
- Destination
- Council Bluff, IA
- Equipment
- Onboard weather
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
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 26,000 total · 1,700 in this make and model · 25,500 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 125 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KCBF, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 646 KB 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.