- Date
- February 11, 2012, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N20536Schweizer 269C
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 20, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120211002499A
- Case key
- 82867
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 inadequate compensation for the known wind conditions during a hovering maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control.
Findings · 4
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
During an introductory helicopter training flight, the instructor attempted to demonstrate a hovering maneuver around a point on the ground. The wind at the time of the accident was estimated by the instructor to be 15 to 20 knots from the south. During the maneuver, when the helicopter was nearly headed downwind, the instructor lost control of the helicopter and it started to rotate in an uncontrollable right yaw. The instructor reported that the helicopter continued to spin until hitting the ground and rolling over about 300 feet from the initiation of the loss of control. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and main rotor drive system. The reported wind at the time of departure was from 180 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
During an introductory training flight, the instructor attempted to demonstrate a hovering maneuver around a point on the ground. The wind at the time of the accident was estimated by the instructor to be 15 to 20 knots out of the south. During the maneuver when the helicopter was near downwind, the instructor lost control of the helicopter and it started to rotate in an uncontrollable right yaw. The instructor reported that the helicopter continued to spin until hitting the ground and rolling over approximately 300 feet from the initiation of the loss of control. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and main rotor drive system. The reported wind at the time of departure was from 180 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20536
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S1818
- Airframe hours
- 5,109
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Airworks Aviation
- Registered owner
- L J Air Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 14, 2012 · 77 hours before
- Departed
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 29, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 233 total · 42 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- VGT, 9 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 591 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.