- Date
- September 24, 2011, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Douglas, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3070SRobinson R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 1, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110924023609A
- Case key
- 81897
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 failure to maintain yaw control of the helicopter while hover taxiing in gusty wind conditions.
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
According to the pilot, while hover taxiing downwind, a gust of wind pushed the tail 90 degrees to the left, which forced the helicopter to descend into the pavement. The pilot reported that the front and rear crossover tubes between the left and right landing skid assemblies were bent, and that the tail cone was wrinkled at the fuselage attach points.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while hover taxiing downwind, a gust of wind pushed the tail 90 degrees to the left, which forced the helicopter to descend into the pavement. The pilot reported that the front and rear crossover tubes between the left and right landing skid assemblies were bent, and that the tail cone was wrinkled at the fuselage attach points.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3070S
- Reported as
- Robinson R22 Beta (BETA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 4217
- Airframe hours
- 1,031
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James P Hoeffler
- Registered owner
- James P Hoeffler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 14, 2011 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- SHR · Sheridan, WY
- Destination
- DGW · Douglas, WY
- Airport
- DGW · Douglas Airport
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 21, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 901 total · 163 in this make and model · 636 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- DGW
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.