- Date
- September 16, 1988, 22:15 local (Sep 17, 1988, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- W.Kingston, RI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N47CSRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 36228
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt said it was a clear, calm night. When he got to his helicopter he found the windshield covered with a heavy dew. He cleaned the windshield but during takeoff the dew reformed on the windshield and he lost all visual references outside the helicopter. The helicopter rolled over and crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47CS
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0079
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles F. Samson
- Registered owner
- Charles Samson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · W. Kingston, RI
- Destination
- NONE · Warwick, RI
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 223 total · 223 in this make and model · 161 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F