- Date
- January 4, 2020, 12:09 local (20:09 UTC)
- Place
- Mokelumne Hills, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N92785Sud SE 3130 Alouette II
- Defining event
- Taxi: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 100778
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 adequate clearance from terrain during a hover-taxi, which resulted in the helicopter's skid contacting grass and a subsequent dynamic roll-over.
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
The pilot reported that, after about 20 minutes of flight in the helicopter, he returned to a private runway. The pilot descended the helicopter and began a hover-taxi from one end of the runway to the other. During the hover, the right skid contacted grass adjacent to the runway. The helicopter rolled over on its right ride, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after about 20 minutes of flight, he returned to a private runway. The pilot descended to the runway and he began a hover-taxi to the other end. While hovering, the right skid made contact with the grass adjacent to the runway. The helicopter rolled over on its right ride, damaging the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that he thought that the accident could have been prevented if he had a faster and quicker reaction time. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92785
- Reported as
- Sud SE 3130 Alouette II (No Series)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1236
- Built
- 1958
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 12, 2018
- Departed
- PVT · Mokelumne Hills, CA
- Destination
- PVT · Mokelumne Hills, CA
- Airport
- PVT · Private
- Equipment
- None
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 12, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,291 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KSCK, 34 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB in all.