- Date
- June 24, 2001, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Garner, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7119DRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO FAA
- FAA report
- 20010624014489A
- Case key
- 52560
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 altitude clearance above the terrain while maneuvering, resulting in a collision with the terrain, and subsequent rollover.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he had flown around his farm for about 15 minutes when he decided to set down in a cow pasture. As he departed the landing spot, he picked the rotorcraft up into about a 1- foot hover and began maneuvering. His left landing skid collided with a high growth of grass, and the rotorcraft sustained a rollover that caused substantial damage to the rotorcraft.
Factual narrative
On June 24, 2001, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22B, N7119D, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained a roll over in the vicinity of Garner, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The rotorcraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, following a 15-minute flight around his farm he put the rotorcraft down in a cow pasture. As he was departing the landing spot, maneuvering in about a 1-foot hover above the ground, his left landing skid collided with a high growth of grass, and caused the rotorcraft to roll over. The main rotor struck the ground and the rotorcraft came to rest on its left side. He further stated that weather factors, rotorcraft flight control and engine operation were not factors.
According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings in a field on his property. On one liftoff, the pilot allowed the rotorcraft to drift left and settle slightly. The left front skid contacted the ground and the rotorcraft encountered a dynamic rollover condition. The pilot was unable to stop the rolling motion, and rolled onto the rotorcraft's left side, sustaining substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7119D
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2939
- Airframe hours
- 220
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Curtiss Dail
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2001 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- Garner, NC
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 7, 2001
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,232 total · 265 in this make and model · 1,843 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 14 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.