- Date
- September 22, 2007, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Nashville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3184TRobinson R44 II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070922830519A
- Case key
- 66740
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 of the helicopter.
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
While student pilot was preparing for his first solo flight in the Robinson R44 II, he began the sprag clutch check and "split the needles," then released the throttle to proceed with the checklist. The governor then "kicked in", the rpm increased to 102 percent, and the helicopter began to spin on the pavement. The pilot-side skid snagged a crack on the pavement, collapsed, and the rotor and tail boom then struck the ground. The student pilot stated he never applied, unlocked, or released the collective. Examination of the flight controls by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any abnormalities.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, while preparing for his first solo flight in the Robinson R44 II, he began the sprag clutch check and "split the needles," and then released the throttle to proceed with the checklist. The governor then "kicked in", the rpm increased to 102 percent, and the helicopter began to spin on the pavement. The pilot-side skid snagged a crack on the pavement, collapsed, and the rotor and tail boom then struck the ground. The student pilot stated he never applied, unlocked, or released the collective. Examination of the flight controls by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any abnormalities.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3184T
- Reported as
- Robinson R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11562
- Airframe hours
- 49
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Fly-N-Dollar Helicopter Service LLC
- Registered owner
- Trevor B. Noble
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BNA · Nashville, TN
- Destination
- BNA
- Airport
- BNA · Nashville International Airpor
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
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 39 total · 39 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- BNA, 1 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.