- Date
- December 22, 2007, 05:30 local (10:30 UTC)
- Place
- ST. Augustine, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N109SKAgusta A109
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Orlando FSDO-15
- Case key
- 67375
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 a visual lookout while taxiing.
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 was ground taxing after landing for parking. Upon entering the ramp, he made a 180-degree right turn, and the tail rotor blade collided with a bush. The tail rotor fragmented, and caused structural damage to the tail boom assembly.
Factual narrative
The pilot landed on runway 13 and was ground taxing to the company ramp for parking. Upon entering the ramp the pilot made a 180-degree right turn and the tail rotor blade collided with a bush. The tail rotor fragmented and caused structural damage to the tail boom assembly. The accident was reported late to the NTSB on January 15, 2008.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N109SK
- Reported as
- Agusta A109
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7130
- Airframe hours
- 4,103
- Engine
- Honeywell 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- SK Logistics Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 1, 2007 · 102 hours before
- Departed
- KSGF · ST> Augustine, FL
- Destination
- FD58 · Jacksonville, FL
- Airport
- KSGJ · St. Augustine Airport, runway 13, 7,996 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 10,800 total · 1,660 in this make and model · 10,500 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 2.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KSGJ