- Date
- October 16, 2009, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Meiners Oaks, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N496SBBoykin Stephen Vance Rotorway E
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- Case key
- 74926
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 preflight planning which resulted in a takeoff with a tailwind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that he completed an emergency off-airport landing, in mountainous terrain, to avoid poor weather and fog during a cross-country flight in the single engine helicopter. He reported that he sat in position for about forty minutes to burn off fuel and "…lighten the aircraft." The pilot then lifted off and repositioned the helicopter to a nearby dirt road. The pilot sat in position for an additional hour to "burn off as much fuel as I could to lighten the ship." The pilot departed a second time; however, during the takeoff the helicopter "didn't have enough lift" and subsequently settled and collided with the terrain. The pilot reported that he thought he was taking off into the wind, instead he took off with a tailwind. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom assembly. No preimpact mechanical failures were reported.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he completed an emergency off-airport landing, in mountainous terrain, to avoid poor weather and fog during a cross-country flight in the single engine helicopter. He reported that he sat in position for about forty minutes to burn off fuel and "…lighten the aircraft." The pilot then lifted off and repositioned the helicopter to a nearby dirt road. The pilot sat in position for an additional hour to "burn off as much fuel as I could to lighten the ship." The pilot departed a second time; however, during the takeoff the helicopter "didn't have enough lift" and subsequently settled and collided with the terrain. The pilot reported that he thought he was taking off into the wind, instead he took off with a tailwind. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom assembly. No preimpact mechanical failures were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N496SB
- Reported as
- Boykin Stephen Vance Rotorway E
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6992
- Airframe hours
- 107
- Engine
- Solar T-63-T, 150 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Boykin Stephen V
- Registered owner
- Boykin Stephen V
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 30, 2009
- Departed
- Meiners Oaks, CA
- Destination
- San Luis Obispo, CA
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 62 in this make and model · 91 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 22 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 543 KB in all.
Other investigations on N496SB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.