- Date
- April 8, 2012, 18:45 local (Apr 9, 2012, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Henderson, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N55NZRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120408006299A
- Case key
- 83325
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 did not maintain directional and yaw control of the helicopter during approach and landing, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Findings · 2
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 pilot stated that, while he was landing downwind, the helicopter began to yaw to the right. The pilot applied left pedal and forward cyclic inputs in an attempt to correct the yaw; however, the helicopter continued to rotate and descend. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter touched down on both skids and rolled onto its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and rotor blades. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while landing downwind, the helicopter began to yaw to the right. The pilot applied left pedal and forward cyclic inputs in an attempt to correct the yaw, however, the helicopter continued to rotate and descend. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter touched down on both skids and rolled onto its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and rotor blades. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55NZ
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 11846
- Airframe hours
- 1,013
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Zoltan Horvath
- Registered owner
- Tsunis Nicholas J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 23, 2011 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- K0l7 · Jean, NV
- Destination
- KHND · Henderson, NV
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KHND · Henderson Executive Airport, runway 17, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 23, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 303 total · 229 in this make and model · 152 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 170 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.