NYC02LA149

NTSB accident investigation · Robinson R-22B · Madison Heights, VA · July 30, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 29, 2002, 20:30 local (Jul 30, 2002, 00:30 UTC)
Place
Madison Heights, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8347YRobinson R-22B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 8, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20020729037789A
Case key
55338

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the helipad, which resulted in a rollover. A factor in this accident was pilot fatigue.

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.

Roll overLanding
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
FatiguePilot in commandFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding

Analysis

The pilot departed from his residence at 0700, and flew to an airport to complete a 100-hour inspection on the helicopter. He departed the airport 1830 for the return flight home and arrived about 2030. The pilot said he was "very tired" and attempted to land on a "very tight helipad" in front of the building where the helicopter was hangared. As the helicopter touched down, it was not far enough on the helipad and began to tilt backward. The pilot attempted to correct the helicopter's position; however, it rolled over and struck the ground. The pilot further stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter.

Factual narrative

On July 29, 2002, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R-22B, N8347Y, was substantially damaged while landing on a private helipad, in Madison Heights, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG), Portsmouth, Virginia. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a written statement, the pilot said he departed from his residence at 0700, and flew to PVG to complete a 100-hour inspection on the helicopter. He departed PVG about 1830 for the return flight home. When he arrived, he was "very tired" and attempted to land on a "very tight helipad" in front of the building where the helicopter was hangared. As the helicopter touched down, it was not far enough on the helipad and began to tilt backward. The pilot attempted to correct the helicopter's position; however, it rolled over and struck the ground.

The pilot further stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the helicopter. He reported 97 hours of total flight experience, all in the R-22.

Aircraft

Registration
N8347Y
Reported as
Robinson R-22B
Category
Helicopter
Serial number
2683
Airframe hours
1,072
Engine
Lycoming O-360-J2A, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Wingfield Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · July 29, 2002 · 2 hours before
Departed
PVG · Portsmouth, VA
Destination
NONE · Madison Heights, VA
Airport
NONE · Private

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
55
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
October 3, 2001
Seat
Right
Flight hours
97 total · 97 in this make and model · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
LYH, 13 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 490 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.