- Date
- April 22, 1996, 12:09 local (16:09 UTC)
- Place
- Kissimmee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8315RRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960422035809A
- Case key
- 38099
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 improper use of the helicopter's flight controls which led to an inadvertent loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a hover.
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 attempted a pedal turn while at a hover and stated he lost tail rotor effectiveness. The helicopter then spun to the right and rolled over. The pilot stated he had about 66 hours in this make and model helicopter.
Factual narrative
On April 22, 1996, about 1209 eastern daylight time, N8315R, a Robinson R-22, operated by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office as a public-use flight crashed while hovering at the Kissimmee Airport, Kissimmee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot and observer reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that while at a hover, attempting a pedal turn to the right,he lost tail rotor effectiveness and the helicopter rolled over on its side and crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8315R
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2475
- Airframe hours
- 659
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Osceola County Sheriffs Office
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 12, 1996 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- ISM
- Airport
- ISM · Kissimmee
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
- 56
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,892 total · 66 in this make and model · 4,605 as pilot in command · 98 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCO, 10 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.