- Date
- May 3, 1990, 08:05 local (12:05 UTC)
- Place
- Lawrence, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N24577Robinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900503016479A
- Case key
- 36639
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 improper use of flight controls, resulting in loss of control.
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 had just lifted to a hover when the helicopter started yawing rapidly to the right. The pilot lowered the collective, landed on soft ground and bent the landing skid. The helicopter then rocked rearward, causing a tail rotor blade to strike the ground and separate from the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24577
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 583M
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- N.E. Business Helicopters,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Uknown
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 893 total · 320 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.