- Date
- July 13, 2012, 07:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place
- Glenn, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N45VXSud Aviation/Eurocopter Alouette II SE313B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120713016619A
- Case key
- 84308
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 a tailwind while hovering, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
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
While hovering, the student pilot lost directional control, and the helicopter spun around to the left 3 1/2 turns before it impacted the ground and rolled over after the right skid collapsed. The pilot reported that there was a tailwind of about 5 knots. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and the main gear box frame. The pilot said that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
While hovering the student pilot lost directional control and the helicopter spun around to the left 3 1/2 turns before rolling over after the right skid collapsed. The pilot reported that he had a tailwind of about 5 knots. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45VX
- Reported as
- Sud Aviation/Eurocopter Alouette II SE313B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1229
- Airframe hours
- 3,736
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARTOUSTE II, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Priority Farms
- Registered owner
- Priority Farms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 25, 2012
- Departed
- Glenn, CA
- Destination
- Glenn, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Student, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,473 total · 26 in this make and model · 3,325 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- CIC, 19 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 432 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.
Other investigations on N45VX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.