- Date
- January 25, 2003, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsfield, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N7198URobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20030125000709A
- Case key
- 56390
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 control, which resulted in a rollover. Factors in this accident were the night light conditions, ice covered ramp and a snowbank.
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 said he landed the helicopter on the ramp and was unaware that the area was covered with ice because of darkness. He turned off the governor, placed the cyclic and collective friction locks on, and brought the engine RPM to 80 percent for cool down. The helicopter began to turn 90 degrees counter-clockwise and slide backward. The pilot applied right pedal, which countered the yaw; however, the helicopter continued to slide backward on the ice. The helicopter then contacted a snowbank and rolled over. The pilot said he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On January 25, 2003, about 1745 eastern standard time, a Robinson R-22B helicopter, N7198U, was substantially damaged after landing at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot said he landed on the ramp and was unaware that the area was covered with ice because of darkness. He turned off the governor, placed the cyclic and collective friction locks on, and brought the engine RPM to 80 percent for cool down. The helicopter began to turn 90 degrees counter-clockwise and slide backward. The pilot applied right pedal, which countered the yaw; however, the helicopter continued to slide backward on the ice. The helicopter then contacted a snowbank and rolled over.
The pilot further stated he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions.
The pilot reported 205 hours of total flight experience, which included 161 hours in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7198U
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3751
- Airframe hours
- 257
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-J2A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert C. Herr
- Registered owner
- New England Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 20, 2002 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- HPN · White Plains, NY
- Destination
- PSF · Pittsfield, MA
- Airport
- PSF · Pittsfield Muni
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 28, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 203 total · 203 in this make and model · 161 as pilot in command · 124 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- PSF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 19, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 757 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.