- Date
- March 17, 2008, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Montgomery, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3027YRobinson R44
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080317013109A
- Case key
- 67676
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 loss of control during takeoff.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the student pilot, he conducted a training flight with a flight instructor, in the R44 helicopter, and then prepared for a solo flight in anticipation of his upcoming private pilot check ride. During liftoff, he began to correct for an anticipated "tail low" condition due to full fuel and only one person on board, by using "light" forward cyclic. The helicopter drifted forward toward fuel pumps and a light post, and the pilot "over controlled" the helicopter by moving the cyclic aft. The pilot stated that he reacted "a little late," and drifted too close to the post. The main rotor struck the post, the fuselage spun, and the tail of the helicopter impacted the ground, before the helicopter came to rest on its skids.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, he conducted a training flight with a flight instructor, in the R44 helicopter, and then prepared for a solo flight in anticipation of his upcoming private pilot check ride. During liftoff, he began to correct for an anticipated "tail low" condition due to full fuel and only one person on board, by using "light" forward cyclic. The helicopter drifted forward toward fuel pumps and a light post, and the pilot "over controlled" the helicopter by moving the cyclic aft. The pilot stated he reacted "a little late," and drifted too close to the post. The main rotor struck the post, the fuselage spun, and the tail of the helicopter impacted the ground, before the helicopter came to rest on its skids.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3027Y
- Reported as
- Robinson R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11813
- Airframe hours
- 140
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helicor Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2008
- Departed
- MGJ · Montgomery, NY
- Airport
- MGJ · Orange County Airport
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 62 total · 62 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.44 inHg
- Observed at
- MGJ
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2008, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 432 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.