- Date
- July 6, 2005, 20:30 local (Jul 7, 2005, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. Cloud, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N90SGRobinson R44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20050706017549A
- Case key
- 61915
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 a palm tree resulting in the in-flight collision with it, and subsequent uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with the ground.
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 that after departure the flight proceeded to his property nearby, then he elected to return to the helipad where the flight departed. Upon approach to the helipad he noted a horse trailer obstructed one side of the helipad and a mowing trailer obstructed the other side of the helipad. He hovered over the top of both then decided to perform a 160 degree pedal turned to the left. He reported that he "lost my focus on a palm tree and consequently struck the tree with [the] tailboom which caused a main rotor strike. Hence the accident."
Factual narrative
On July 6, 2005, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44, N90SG, registered to Red Stone Helicopter Sales & Leasing LLC, collided with a palm tree then the ground while landing at a private helipad near St. Cloud, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local, personal flight from the private helipad. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1900, from the private helipad.
The pilot stated that after departure the flight proceeded to his property nearby, then he elected to return to the helipad where the flight departed. Upon approach to the helipad he noted a horse trailer obstructed one side of the helipad and a mowing trailer obstructed the other side of the helipad. He hovered over the top of both then decided to perform a 160 degree pedal turned to the left. He reported that he "lost my focus on a palm tree and consequently struck the tree with [the] tailboom which caused a main rotor strike. Hence the accident."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90SG
- Reported as
- Robinson R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1265
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David K. Jowers
- Registered owner
- Red Stone Helicopter Sales & Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- St. Cloud, FL
- Destination
- St. Cloud, FL
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
- 47
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 32 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.