- Date
- January 23, 2004, 05:00 local (10:00 UTC)
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N77KKRobinson R44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040123011189A
- Case key
- 58834
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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with bushed resulting in in-flight contact and susequent dynamic roll-over.
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
The pilot stated he went out to warm-up the helicopter about 0500, and while hover taxiing north to reposition the helicopter for a planned flight at 0730, the left skid contacted a hedge bush row and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. He further stated there was no mechanical failure or malfunction. His biennial flight review expired February 28, 2003.
Factual narrative
On January 23, 2004, about 0500 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44, N77KK, listed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as "Registration Pending", rolled over while hover taxiing at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, Vero Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The heliocopter was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he went out to warm up the helicopter about 0500, and while hover taxiing north to reposition the helicopter for a planned flight at 0730, the left skid contacted a hedge bush row and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. He further stated there was no mechanical failure or malfunction. His biennial flight review expired February 28, 2003.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77KK
- Reported as
- Robinson R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1052
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kelly P. Kite
- Registered owner
- "Registration Pending"
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KVRB · Vero Beach, FL
- Airport
- KVRB · Vero Beach Municipal
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 2,150 total · 350 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.