- Date
- May 23, 1995, 18:12 local (May 24, 1995, 01:12 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N461HRobinson R-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950523012909A
- Case key
- 42153
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while hovering, which resulted in the aircraft colliding with terrain. Contributing to the accident were gusting 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 student pilot elected to return to the operator's ramp due to increasing winds. During a left pedal turn, when the tail was pointed into the wind, he lost directional control and the helicopter continued to turn. The helicopter then impacted the taxiway surface, collapsing the left skid and allowing the tail rotor to strike the surface. The student stated that he lost directional control due to wind gusts.
Factual narrative
On May 23, 1995, at 1812 Pacific daylight time, N461H, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, operated by Hillsboro Helicopters, Inc., Hillsboro, Oregon, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after the student pilot lost directional control while hovering at the Hillsboro Airport. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from Hillsboro, Oregon, the student pilot was hovering the helicopter for proficiency. The student pilot stated that he was preparing to return to the operator's ramp because the wind was increasing, thus making it difficult for him to control the aircraft. During a left pedal turn, when the tail was pointed into the wind, he believed that a wind gust "... caught me off guard and swung the tail around quickly (weather vaning)..." The helicopter struck the ground on the left skid. The left skid collapsed and the tail rotor struck the ground. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N461H
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1460
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 131 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hillsboro Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- HIO · Hillsboro
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 52 total · 52 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.