- Date
- October 28, 2012, 15:45 local (Oct 29, 2012, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hanapepe, HI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N216ABRobinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121028024629A
- Case key
- 85452
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 selection of an unsuitable landing area. Contributing to the pilot’s decision to land in an unsuitable landing area was his lack of helicopter experience, which led him to misidentify the precursor event.
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
The pilot reported that he had departed for a solo training flight to add a helicopter rating to his pilot certificate. He accelerated the helicopter to cruise flight and noticed an “unusual vibration.” He performed an immediate precautionary landing. During the touchdown sequence, one of the helicopter’s landing skids hit a tree branch, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter’s main rotor impacted the tailboom, which separated from the fuselage. Several days after the accident, the pilot flew with his flight instructor in a different helicopter and attempted to replicate the vibration. As a result of this flight, the pilot believes that he encountered a tailwind during the accident flight that caused him to feel a vibration. Subsequently, the pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot, who was in training to add a helicopter rating to his pilot certificate, said he had just departed for a solo flight. He accelerated the helicopter to cruise flight and noticed an “unusual vibration.” He performed an immediate precautionary landing straight ahead. During the touchdown sequence, one of the helicopter’s landing skids hit a tree branch, and the helicopter rolled onto its side. The helicopter’s main rotor impacted the tail boom, which separated from the fuselage. Several days after the accident, the pilot flew with his flight instructor in a different helicopter and attempted to replicate the vibration. As a result of this flight, the pilot believes that, during the accident flight, he encountered a tailwind and that there was nothing wrong with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N216AB
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0663
- Airframe hours
- 10,768
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sean Kelly
- Registered owner
- Flying Mermaid LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 5, 2012
- Departed
- PAK · Hanapepe, HI
- Destination
- PAK · Hanapepe, HI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PAK · Port Allen 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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 10, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 392 total · 23 in this make and model · 299 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 180 °F, dew point 153 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- LIH, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 766 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.