# NTSB WPR09CA198: Better Burn LLC/Startube Div Exec 162F, N333ST, Chandler, AZ, April 16, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 16, 2009, 08:22 local (15:22 UTC) - Place: Chandler, AZ - Coordinates: 33.274444, -111.804168 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2744&lon=-111.8042&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 73669 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73669/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA198 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and delay in taking remedial action to prevent the helicopter from touching down while drifting. Contributing to the accident was the design of the skid shoes. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Design (probable cause); cases with it: [Better Burn LLC/Startube Div EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=05617CW), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Better Burn LLC/Startube Div EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=05617CW), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Better Burn LLC/Startube Div EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=05617CW), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [Better Burn LLC/Startube Div EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=05617CW), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor said the student was practicing a stable hover at 2 to 3 feet altitude, when the helicopter descended with a slight drift to the right. The student said he made a correction and thought the helicopter might touch the ground and lift up again. When the right skid contacted the taxiway, the right rear skid shoe stuck in the asphalt surface and the aircraft rolled right, pivoting on the right skid. The flight instructor immediately bottomed the collective and pushed the cyclic left; however, the aircraft continued to roll onto its right side. Subsequently, the tail boom was bent up and partially separated, the windscreen structure was broken, the main rotor blades were damaged, and the fuselage was wrinkled. The flight instructor said the helicopter belonged to Rotorway, the kit manufacturer, and was used for factory flight training. The company had equipped the skids with prototype skid shoes approximately 10 inches in length that were flat and extended laterally beyond the skids. When the aircraft touched the ground with lateral movement, the aft right skid shoe dug into the asphalt causing the aircraft to roll right. The flight instructor said that after this accident, the company modified the skid shoe design by rounding the shoes to conform to the landing skids. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor said the student was practicing a stable hover at 2 to 3 feet altitude, when they experienced an uncommanded loss of altitude with a slight drift to the right. The student said he made a correction and thought the helicopter might touch the ground and lift up again. When the right skid contacted the taxiway, the right rear skid shoe stuck in the asphalt surface and the aircraft rolled right, pivoting on the right skid. The flight instructor immediately bottomed the collective and pushed the cyclic left; however, the aircraft continued to roll onto its right side. Subsequently, the tail boom was bent up and partially separated, the windscreen structure was broken, the main rotor blades were damaged, and the fuselage was wrinkled. The flight instructor said the helicopter belonged to the company and had been equipped with “flat” prototype skid shoes approximately 10 inches in length. When the aircraft touched the ground with lateral movement, the edge of the aft right skid shoe dug into the asphalt causing the aircraft to roll right. The flight instructor said that after this accident, the company modified their skid shoe design by rounding the shoes to conform to the landing skids. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N333ST](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N333ST-2015-05-07), registration cancelled 2015-05-07, S/N 6755, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BETTER BURN LLC/STARTUBE DIV EXEC 162F - Registry model: [Better Burn LLC/Startube Div EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/better-burn-llc-startube-div-exec-162f) (registry code 05617CW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 6755 - Airframe hours: 495 - Engines: Rotorway 162F 100 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: RotorWay International, doing business as RotorWay International - Registered owner: Cobb International DBA - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 24, 2009 - Departed: P19, Chandler, AZ - Destination: P19, Chandler, AZ - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: CHD, Chandler Municipal Arpt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 15, 2008; seat: right; flight hours: 592 total, 270 in this make and model, 507 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 63; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 6 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: CHD, 5 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20090416004599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090416004599A), Apr 16, 2009: Amtr EXEC162F, Chandler, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 16, 2009, around 0822 mountain standard time, experimental rotorcraft, better burn LLC, exec 162F, N333ST rolled over to the right side while… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.