- Date
- March 13, 2009, 18:30 local (Mar 14, 2009, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Douglas, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N157SHRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090313003189A
- Case key
- 73517
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to properly secure the helicopter prior to exiting the aircraft.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot reported that he landed on a semi-trailer to pay the truck driver for a load of hay, and subsequently exited the helicopter with the engine running, the control frictions on, and the governor off. The pilot revealed that after exiting the helicopter and while he was paying the truck driver, the helicopter fell off of the truck, which resulted in substantial damage to its tail boom.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he landed on a semi-trailer to pay the truck driver for a load of hay, and subsequently exited the helicopter with the engine running, the control frictions on, and the governor off. The pilot revealed that after exiting the helicopter and while he was paying the truck driver, the helicopter fell off of the truck, which resulted in substantial damage to its tail boom.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N157SH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4163
- Airframe hours
- 975
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard Snure
- Registered owner
- Matthew Spitzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 1, 2008 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- Douglas, AZ
- Destination
- Douglas, AZ
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 3,500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 768 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.