- Date
- August 27, 2019, 14:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N218GHBell 206
- Defining event
- Landing: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190827014749A
- Case key
- 100170
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 failure to maintain yaw and pitch control while repositioning the helicopter, which resulted in 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, after landing the helicopter on the landing platform, he decided to reposition it on the platform. He said that he increased the collective and that it "felt as if the nose was turning or yawing to the right." To correct the right yaw, he applied left pedal, but the helicopter continued moving right. The helicopter rolled to the right, the main rotor blades struck the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotor drive systems. 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, after landing on the helicopter landing platform, he decided to reposition the helicopter on the platform. He increased collective and, "felt as if the nose was turning or yawing to the right." To correct the right yaw he applied, "more left pedal but the aircraft continued in its movement." The helicopter rolled to the right and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotor drive system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N218GH
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3470
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 15,412
- Engine
- Rolls Royce 250C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Angel City Air, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Helicopters Unlimited Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Other
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 8, 2019
- Departed
- SEE · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- SEE · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- SEE · Gillespie Field
- 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 10, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,313 total · 392 in this make and model · 2,238 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- KSEE
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2020, 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.