- Date
- May 12, 1991, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ellington, CT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N496TPRobinson R-22B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910512034779A
- Case key
- 36923
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control, and his inadequate compensation for winds, while maneuvering close to the ground. A factor relating to the accident was the adverse wind conditions.
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 helicopter was hovering about 3 to 4 feet above the grass. A stationary right turn was started. The pilot said, '[I] continued to turn slowly until the aircraft accelerated in the turn sharply. [I] immediately applied full left pedal all the way to the pedal stop...the helicopter continued to spin without slowing...' The FAA inspector said, '...probably due to a gust of wind, the pilot...was unable to stop the spin...before the rear...skid contacted the ground...[then] the tail rotor struck the ground.' The controls were checked for continuity and no malfunction was found. The wind at the time of the accident was 18 knots with gusts to 26 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N496TP
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1646
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tekton Preux Helicopters Inc.
- Registered owner
- Tekton Preux Helicopters Inc.
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- BED · Bedford, MA
- Airport
- 7B9 · Ellington
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 341 total · 171 in this make and model · 249 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.