- Date
- June 11, 2007, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Plant City, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7185KRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070611009229A
- Case key
- 65934
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors in the accident were variable wind conditions, and soft/uneven terrain.
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 accident flight, in a Robinson R-22B helicopter, was the student pilot's second solo flight. According to the pilot, PCM was only "about five minutes" flying time from LAL, and that the only weather information he obtained was from the LAL ATIS. As he approached the PCM runway 28 threshold, he pulled up on the collective to stop the forward travel. At the same time, he pushed on the left pedal, but the helicopter began to rotate to the right. He then applied full left pedal, but was unsuccessful at stopping the rotation. After approximately six to seven revolutions, the pilot executed an autorotation. The helicopter "landed softly" but continued to rotate. The right skid caught in the dirt, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The pilot stated that just after he exited the helicopter, the wind increased and a heavy rain began. The 1325 PCM weather observation recorded the wind from 280 degrees at 6 knots, with gusts to 14 knots, and the 1345 observation recorded the wind from 290 degrees at 7 knots, with no gusts. The pilot reported he did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The accident flight, in a Robinson R-22B helicopter, was the student pilot's second solo flight. The accident occurred at approximately 1345 eastern daylight time while landing at Plant City Municipal Airport (PCM), Plant City, Florida, after a flight from the pilot's home base of Lakeland Linder Regional airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida. According to the pilot, PCM was only "about five minutes" flying time from LAL, and that the only weather information he obtained was from the LAL ATIS. As he approached the PCM runway 28 threshold, he pulled up on the collective to stop the forward travel. At the same time, he pushed on the left pedal, but the helicopter began to rotate to the right. He then applied full left pedal, but was unsuccessful at stopping the rotation. After approximately six to seven revolutions, the pilot executed an autorotation. The helicopter "landed softly" but continued to rotate. The right skid caught in the dirt, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The pilot stated that just after he exited the helicopter, the wind increased and a heavy rain began. The 1325 PCM weather observation recorded the wind from 280 degrees at 6 knots, with gusts to 14 knots, and the 1345 observation recorded the wind from 290 degrees at 7 knots, with no gusts. The pilot reported he did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7185K
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2981
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1F, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Matthew Spitzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LAL · Lakeland, FL
- Destination
- PCM · Plant City, FL
- Airport
- PCM · Plant City Municipal, runway 28, 3,950 × 75 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 31 total · 31 in this make and model · 31 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- PCM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7185K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.